^v,/ ''^^- ^ ' - ''^ 



ri-. 



' / r- 



"c^ 












,o* 












a'^ 
v" 






PO 






x^^ "'^^ 






V 



■■■' %,/ 



r^ 



V 



.0^ 






^^ ,/'.«^^^';^ '^'".^ .-^«^.'^- 



•A V^' 



o 0' 



,*-^ ^t. 







' O^ 










.x^' <-^ 








<<r 


s^- 






■%> 


.#• 








^ A 




o 






# 


•p ^ ' 


«. ^^o. 






^ 


^^/7^% •-" 


•>' 


^} 








o 








^ 


^^. 



4'' 



^' s^^ 






x^^q. 






■^ 



V •/>, 



.0^ 



0^.^ « V 1 z, 




History Instructing Youth. 



THE 

FIRST 



]LiSSBOOK OF HISTORY, 

J ^ DESIGNED FOB 

Pupils Commenciiig the Study of History; 



By m: jJ^keeney, a.m. 

Author of Compendium of Ancient and Modern History; 
Columbian Arithmetic ; &c. &c> &c. 



/ Twenty-Third Eevised and Enlarged Edition. 



BALTIMORE: 
Published by John Murphy & Co. 

182 Baltimorb Street. 
Sold hy Booksellers generally throughout the U. S. 

18 69. 



Entered, according to the Act of Congress, in the year 1869, bj 

JOHN MURPHY, ! 

in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of Maryland. ! 



^ " rt 



PREFACE 

To the Twenty-tliiTd Eevised and Enlarged Edition. 

THE appearance of twenty-three large editions of 
Kerney's First Class-Book of History within twenty 
years is a sufficient evidence of its popularity as an el- 
ementary class-book. As a book for study, and a book 
for reading, in place of the disjointed matter found in 
ordinary " Readers," the publishers have endeavored to 
make it every way worthy of continued patronage. 

The importance of the particular changes introduced 
in this edition, renders it desirable to call the attention 
of teachers and parents to its enhanced value. If any 
have found in it heretofore defects worthy of notice, it 
is to be hoped that the emendations supplied — suggest- 
ed, as they have been, by teachers of experience - will 
recommend this new edition to their hearty approval. 

In order to make this book correspond in character 
with the Author's larger work, the -Compendium of 
Ancient and Modern History," the last edition was en- 
larged by the introduction of a short synopsis of Sacred 
and Ancient History. In Modern History, several chap- 
ters were added, embracing the most important recent 
events that had transpired in the civilized countries of 
the world, including the late " American Civil War." 

In the present edition, the portion embracing Sacred 
and Ancient History has been, in a measure, re-written. 
In Modern History, the chapters on Greece and Switzer- 
land, and portions of other chapters, are new, the whole 
being brought down to the present time. The order of 
the contents has been somewhat changed. In the suc- 
cession of kings, the relation between succeeding rulers 



1'' PREFACE. 

has been more particularly set forth; and numerou, 

dates are supplied throughout the book 

Errors and inaccuracies of whatever kind have been 

carefuly a^.a. The for„ of " Questions "at th 
foot of each page has been improved. Superfluities 
have been retrenched, and facts equally as important 
be known as those already stated, introduced It doe 
no appear to belong to the scope of these changes to 
omit the anecdotes which diversify the narrative Al- 
though they may expand local or personal history on, 
points which are not of the first importance, their intro- 
duction in a book for the use of the young serves a use- 
dry rdTaU: '"'' "''^"^ '""'' -"'«" ""^--^ ^^ too 

their religious or political bearing, give rise to a diver- 
sity of opinion among men, care has been taken to avoid 
a method of statement likely to prove oifensive to either 
extreme. Truth is the object aimed at, not partizanship: 
.n the interests of which, it is notorious that the mos 
of what IS called History is written. Tlie publishers 
rust that tb s little book will now find its way into a 
still wider circle of institutions than tliose in which it 
has been heretofore known and appreciated 

If any improvement should still be needed to heighten 

th value of this work, the publishers will be happy to 

aval themselves of the suggestions of friends, so that 

nothing may be wanting to make future editions correct. 

Baltimore, August, 1869. 



CONTENTS. 







PAQH 


Preface 





8 


Introduction 





9 


Chapter I. — Division of History 


la 


Chapter II. — 


■ Sacred History 

ANCIENT HISTORY. 


16 


Chapter III. - 


- The Egyptians 


26 


Chapter IV. - 


- The Phoenicians 


82 


Chapter V. — 


- The Assyrians and Babylonians 


84 


Chapter VI. - 


-The Medes and Persians 


88 


Chapter VII. 


— India 


44 


Chapter VIII 


:, — Greece 


4b 


Chapter IX. 


— Rome 

MODERN HISTORY. 


62 


Chapter X. - 


-Discovery of America 


91 


Chapter XI. ■ 
gators 


— Discoveries made by other Navi- 


, 104 



Chapter XII. — Discovery and Conquest of Mexico 106 
Chapter XIII. — Discovery and Conquest of Peru 120 

THE AMERICAN COLONIES. 

Chapter XIV. —Settlement of Virginia 123 

Chapter XV. " New York, New Jer- 

gey, and Delaware •^*"' 

1* V 



^^ CONTENTS. 

Chapter XVI — Settlement of Massachusetts .... T39 
Chapter XVII. » New Hampshire, 

Connecticut, and Rhode Island I44 

Chapter XVIII. —Settlement of Maryland 147 

Chapter XIX. u Pennsylvania 153 

Chapter XX. » the Carolinas and 

Georgia 

ChapterXXL — The Indian Wars 

Chapter XXII. — The French War 



156 
158 
165 



THE UNITED STATES. 
ChapterXXIIL — The Revolution I74 

Chapter XXIV. — Declaration of Independence '* 190 
Chapter XXV. -Battle of Brandywine, Surren- 

der of Burgoyne, Destruction of Wyoming 193 

Chapter XXVI. -Gates's Defeat, the Treachery ' 

of Arnold, the Surrender of Lord Cornwallis 200 

Chapter XXVII. - The Formation of the Consti- 

'"'^^^ 208 

Chapter XXVIII. -War with Great Britain - 

Causes of the War, &c. 213 

Chapter XXIX. — Perry's Victory, Battle of the" 

Thames, &c. o-.^ 

Chapter XXX. -The War with Mexico-" 

Causes of the War, &c. 223 

Chapter XXXI. -From the Reduction of Vera" 

Cruz to the Surrender of the City of Mexico 229 

Chapter XXXII. -American Civil War 233 



CONTENTS. VU 

ENGLAND. 



PAGB 

238 



Chapter XXXITI. — From the Conquest by the 

Romans, A. C. 55 to A. D. 827 

Chapter XXXIV.— From the Foundation of the 

Monarchy to the Norman Conquest— A. D. 827 

to 1066 

Chapter XXXV. - The Kings of the Norman 

Family— From A. D. 1066 to 1154 
Chapter XXXVI. — Family of Plantagenet— From 

A. D. 1135 to 1399 256 

Chapter XXXVII. — The Lancaster Family — 

From A. D. 1399 to 1461 

Chapter XXXVIII. — The House of York — 

From A. D. 1461 to 1485 

Chapter XXXIX. — The Tudor Family — From A.D 

1485 to 1603 

Chapter XL. - The Stuart Family — From A. D. 

1603 to 1714 •••• 2^* 

Chapter XLL— The House of Brunswick — 

From A.D. 1714 •- ^88 



244 

253 



266 
268 

272 



FRANCE. 
Chapter XLII. — The Foundation of the French 
Monarchy 

Chapter XLIII. — The Capetian Race of Kings — 

From A. D. 987 to 1328 - • ^97 

Chapter XLIV. — The House of Valois — Philip 

the Sixth — From A. D. 1328 to 1498 
Chapter XLV. — From the Accession of Louis XII. 



292 



302 



Vlll CONTENTS. 

to the Reign of Henry III. — From A. D. 1498 

'^'"'^ 310 

Chapter XL VL — House of Valois - Orleans — 

From A. D. 1589 to 1774 .... 317 

Chapter XL VIL — Louis the Sixteenth — The 
Revolution — Bonaparte— The Restoration — 
Napoleon in. ^ 322 

Chapter XL VIII. — Ireland — The Early Inhab- 
itants—The Introduction of Christianity by St. 
Patrick ^ gg- 

Chapter XLIX. —Ireland invaded by Henry IL 
of England 

Chapter L. — The Insurrection of 1798 

Chapter LI. — Italy 

Chapter LII. — Spain 

Chapter LIII. — Portugal 

Chapter LIV. — Poland 

Chapter LV.— Russia 

Chapter LVL — Prussia 

Chapter LVIL — Germany and Austria 

Chapter LVIII. — Sweden, Denmark, and Nor- 

^^^ 377 

Chapter LIX — Belgium and Holland .,.. 380 

Chapter LX. — Switzerland .... 331 

Chapter LXL— Greece (Modern.) .... 382 

Chapter LXIL — The Middle Ages .... 383 

ChapterLXIIL— The Crusades .... 339 

ChapterLXIV. — Progress OF Civilization .... 392 



INTRODUCTION 



1 My young friends, you are about to enter 
upon a study which will unfold to you the 
secrets of the past, and lay open before you a 
wide field for the cultivation and improvement 

of your minds. 

2. From History you will learn to commune 
with the past, and to converse with people 
who have long since disappeared from the 
theatre of the world: you will learn the man- 
ners and customs of kingdoms and nations, 
which have arisen and flourished, and then 
fallen to ruin and decay 

3 From the pages of history you will gather 
the sad story of those great cities of old, whose 
mouldering ruins alone attest at the present 
day their former grandeur and power. 



QHESTioKS.-l. What study are you about to enter 
upon ? 2. From history what will you learn ? 3. From 
the pages of history what will you gather? 



9 



10 



INTRODUCTION. 



4. You will, moreover, find your task a pleas- 
ing and delightful one. Every step of your 
progress will open to you something new-^ 
something entertaining. Your little history 
will prove an interesting companion, with 
whom you can retire and converse on the 
events of bygone days. 

6. The advantages to be derived from the 
study of history are numerous, and should al- 
ways be kept in view. In the first place, it 
will enable you to profit by the writings of 
those already acquainted with the events of the 
past, and at the same time, it will render you 
capable of entertaining others less informed 
than yourselves. 

6. In the second place, you will learn from 
this study, experience, without undergoing the 
sad reality. When you read of those who 
have been wicked, and of the punishments 
with which they were afflicted for their 
crimes, learn also to avoid their example, lest 
perhaps you share in their misfortunes. 

Questions. -4. What 'pleasures will you derive? 
5. What is the first advantage to be derived from his- 
tory? 6. In the second place, what is said? When 
you read of those who have been wicked, what should 
you learn? 



i 



INTRODUCTION. H 



7. On the other hand, let the example of 
thegreat and good of whom you read, influ- 
ence your actions j let their virtues shine be- 
fore you as a burning light by which you may 
direct your course in the stormy sea of life, so 
that the evening of your days may be as calm 
and tranquil as your youth is happy and joy- 



ous. 



8. In perusing the pages of history, your 
hearts will often become sad, and your eyes 
will grow dim with the tear of sorrow, while 
contemplating the misguided zeal of particu- 
lar, individuals in matters of religion. But, 
my young friends, when you read of the 
intolerance which has sometimes been exer- 
cised by this class of persons, remember that 
this is to be attributed to the perversity of 
men, as persecution is not the spirit of Chris- 
tianity. The spirit of true religion is a spirit 
of cbarity, which inculcates love for all men 
without distinction. It is to the happy in- 
fluence of this spirit that we owe all the 
blessings we enjoy. 

Questions. —7. On the other hand, what is said ? 8. In 
perusing the pages of history, what will you see to re- 
gret ? What should we remember ? 



12 



INTEODUOTION. 



9. If then, my young readers, you be of dif-j 
ferent opinions in matters of religion, enter-l 
tain towards one another the kindest feelings J 
and never make use of any expression thatj 
might, in the slightest degree, wound the re-i 
ligious sensibilities of your companions. Ee-j 
member, that we are all journeying forward 
to another and better world, where we hope j 
to meet and dwell together in the bosom of ^ 
our God. ! 



Questions. —9. If then you be of different opinions? 
What should we remember? 



First Class-Book of History. 



CHAPTEE I. 
Division of History. 



1. History is a written account of the 
events that have taken place in the world, of 
facts concerning nations, their origin, and their 
progress or decay. It is divided into two 
periods : 

2. First: — Ancient History, which com- 
prises the events that have occurred from the 
creation of the world to the early days of 
Christianity; 

3. Second : — Modern History, which extends 
from that time to our days. 

4. That period of Modern History, extend- 
ing from the middle of the Fifth Century to 
the middle of the Fifteenth, is called the Mid- 
dle Ages. 

Questions. —1. What is History? How is it divided? 
2. What is Ancient History? 3. Modern History? 
4. The History of the Middle Ages ? 

2 13 



14 DIVISION OF HISTORY. 

5. According to the nature of the subjects 
. treated, History is also designated as Sacred, 

Profane, Ecclesiastical, or Civil. ' 

6. Sacred History is the narrative of events ! 
contained in the Scriptures or Bible, the only 
record we have of the creation and of the 
three thousand years that followed. It is 
confined especially to the history of the peo- 
ple of Israel, and only mentions the other na- 
tions of antiquity incidentally. 

7. Profane History, the earlier part of 
which is clouded in obscurity, is the history 
of the ancient Heathen peoples. 

8. Ecclesiastical History commences with 
the birth of our Saviour; it is the history of 
His Church. 

9. The Civil or Political History of a nation 
is that which concerns its laws and govern- 
ment, and the changes caused therein by revo- 
lutions and wars. 

10. The History of the Middle Ages shows 
to us the barbarous customs of the Heathens 
giving way to the civilizing influence of 
Christianity; the idols and false gods crum- 
bling before the victorious cross; and the 
word of the true G-od penetrating alike into 

Questions. — 5. By what other names are the divi- 
sions of History designated? 6. What is Sacred His- 
tory ? 7. Profane History ? 8. Ecclesiastical History ? 
9. Civil History? 10. Tell us about the Middle Agea. 



DIVISION OF HISTORY. 15 

the palaces of the kings and the hovels of the 
poor. 

11. The remarkable circumstances of that 
period are the advent of Mahometanism, the 
establishment of Monastic Institutions, the 
Feudal system, the Crusades, and Chivalry. 

12. Modern History is extensively known, 
thanks to the invention of the art of printing. 
Among the important events of this period, 
are the discovery of America, which opened 
a new world to enterprise; the Protestant 
Eeformation, which divided the Christian 
world ; and the American and French Eevo- 
lutions — the former giving birth to a new 
people and proving a blessing to mankind; 
the latter convulsing the old world, steeping 
the French people in blood, and bequeathing 
to Europe a spirit of disorder and discontent. 

13. The progress made in the arts and 
sciences in our own days, is truly wonderful : 
and steam navigation, the magnetic and the 
submarine telegraph, are evidences of the genius 
of man, while they proclaim the greatness of 
God, who endowed man with a thinking mind 
— a soul. 

Questions. — 11. What are the remarkable circum- 
Btances of that period? 12. What of Modern History? 
13. Tell us about more recent wonders in arts, &c. 



16 SACRED HISTORY. 

CHAPTEE II. 
Sacred History. 

1. The world, accordiDg to the chronolo- 
gical system generally adopted, was created 
about four thousand years before the Christian 
era. 

2. God alone is a Creator. Whatever man 
may invent or make, he must use an already 
existing substance; but the Almighty created 
the universe from nothing. He willed, and 
the world was. 

3. The universe in all its admirable details, 
from the tiniest blade of grass to the most 
brilliant planet, was created in six days. On 
the sixth day, God made man from the dust 
of the earth, and breathed into him an imper- 
ishable soul. Thus, man was made superior 
to all the animals of the earth, over which ho 
was given power. The first man was named 
Adam, which means terrestrial, or "from the 
earth." 

^ 4. Having contemplated His work and 
judged it perfect, God rested on the seventh | 
day, which He sanctified and reserved as the i 

Questions.— 1. When was the world created ? 2. Ex- I 
plain the meaning of the word Creator. 3. In how many | 
days was the world created? Who was the first man? j 
4. What was done on the seventh day ? : 



SACKED HISTORY. 17 

day upon which all creatures should worship 
Him. 

5. G-od, in His admirable goodness, deemed 
that a companion similar in perfection should 

, be given to man ; and having cast Adam into 
a deep sleep, He took from his side a rib, out 

: of which He formed the first woman, to whom 
He gave the name of Eve, which means Life, 

1 because she was destined to give life to the 

: human race. 

( 6. The Almighty having thus provided for 

1 man's happiness, placed him with his com- 
panion in the G-arden of Eden, situated in 

, Asia Minor, and through which flowed the 

i rivers Tigris and Euphrates. 

7. Eden was a terrestrial paradise in which 

; the most delicious fruits abounded and nature 

. was clothed in perpetual verdure. Peace and 

■ harmony reigned in that delightful spot, — the 

, lion played with- the lamb. Such was the 
home given to our first parents by a bountiful 

i God. He made one reservation only : in the 
middle of the garden was a tree called the 
Tree of Knowledge, and the fruit of this tree, 
God commanded Adam and Eve not to taste. 

Questions. — 5. Whom did Adam get for companion? 
6. Where did God place Adam and Eve? 7. Describe 
the Garden of Eden. What was God's command to 
Adam and Eve ? 
2* 

\ 



18 SACRED HISTORT. 

8. God also created the Angels, spiritual 
beings who do not live in the flesh like man. 
Some of the Angels, led by Satan, the proudest 
of them all, rebelled against the Lord, who in 
punishment of their crime, shut from them 
the light of Heaven, and sentenced them to 
live in eternal banishment from Him. When 
Adam and Eve were put in the Garden of 
Eden, Satan, jealous of the happiness of these 
newly created beings, resolved to tempt them 
to do evil. 

9. The Lord permitted this, because having 
given man an intelligent mind capable of dis- 
tinguishing good from evil, He left him free 
to do or avoid wrong. 

^ 10. Satan persuaded Eve to taste of the for- 
bidden fruit, and she induced her husband to 
partake of it. Eor this act of ingratitude and 
disobedience, God banished them from Eden, 
and ordained that they should be subject to 
disease and death. 

11. Adam and Eve now reaped the bitter 
fruits of disobedience. They felt the pangs 
of hunger, and had to labor to obtain the 
food that the earth had hitherto yielded 
them spontaneously; the animals fled their 

Questions. — 8. What about the Angels? What did 
Satan resolve? 9. Why did God permit this? 10. How 
was Eve tempted, and what resulted? 11. What was 
the condition of our first parents after their fall ? 



SACRED HISTOET. 19 

awroach or rebelled against them; they suf- 
fered from cold and heat. They suffered 
bodily pain, and were soon to experience sor- 
row they had children, and Ca.n, their first- 
born killed his brother Abel in a fit of jealousy. 
12' The descendants of Adam became so 
wicked that they provoked the anger of the 
Almio-hty. Ten generations only had suc- 
ceeded our first parents, and mankind was 
already deemed unfit to live. There was, 
however, one just man, the patriarch Noah 
who found favor in the eyes of the Lord, and 
was excepted with his family from the gen- 
eral destruction. 

13 God commanded Noah to build a large 
vessel called an ark, and to give shelter in it 
to one pair of each kind of beasts, birds and 
reptiles. Noah obeyed this command, and fol- 
lowing the Lord's instructions, shut himsell 
up in the ark with his family. 
■ 14 God then caused heavy rains to fall tor 
forty days, and the rivers and seas to overflow 
their boundaries. The earth was covered with 
water, and all creatures perished, except those 
in the ark. This event is termed the Deluge, 
and occurred some 1700 years after the Crea. 

tion, and 2300 B. C. 

-^^,o^,.-12. How did the descendants of Adam 
beLe? WKat just man found favor with the W 
13. What did Noah, by command of God! U. What 
followed! 



20 SACRED HISTORY. 

15. The flood having subsided, the ark rested 
on a mountain called Ararat, and ^oah and 
his family went forth, followed by the animals. 

16. JSToah, his three sons, Shem, Cham and 
Japhet, with their numerous descendants, all 
lived together as one people, speaking the 
same language. About a hundred years after 
the Deluge, they resolved to build a tower 
reaching to the skies, which should render 
their name famous, and afford a safe retreat 
in case of another flood. 

17. They commenced the execution of this 
project, and the tower had already attained a 
great height, when God, to punish their pro- 
sumption, struck them with confusion. The 
workmen commenced speaking different lan- 
guages, and could no longer understand one 
another. They therefore separated, and went 
in every direction. Shem's descendants re- 
mained in Asia; Japhet's settled in Europe, 
and Cham's spread over a portion of Asia and 
into Africa. The unfinished tower received 
the name of Babel, which means confusion. 

18. Thus the different nations originated. 
Those descendants of Noah, who forgot the 



Questions. — 15. What became of those in the ark ? 
16. What of the descendants of Noah ? 17. What was 
the result of this undertaking? What name was given 
to the unfinished tower ? 



SACRED HISTORY, 



21 



teachings of their fathers and gradually be- 
came idolaters and pagans, disappear in the 
night of time, and when we find them again 
under the name of Egyptians, Phoenicians, 
and others, their traditional history is lost. 
The posterity of Shem, who remained faithful 
to the true God, preserved theirs, and it is this 
traditional history, beginning with the crea- 
tion, that has been transmitted to us by the 
^sacred writer Moses. It is to be found in the 
Bible, the only authentic record of those early 

times. 

19. Abraham, the ninth lineal descendant ot 
Shem, went by command of God into the land 
of Canaan or Palestine, and became the father 
of the Hebrew nation ; a people destined to 
preserve the true knowledge and worship of 
God, until the coming of the Messiah. They 
took the name of Israelites, also, from Jacob, 
called Israel, the son of Isaac and grandson 
of Abraham. 

20. Jacob had twelve sons, who became the 
patriarchs of the twelve tribes of Israel. The 
Israelites left the land of Canaan and moved 
into Egypt, where they were at first prosper- 
ous, but the Egj-ptians, jealous of their grow- 
ing numbers, oppressed them^ 

Questions. — 18. What became of the descendants of 
Noah? 19. Who settled in Canaan ? From whom did 
the Israelites take their name? 20. Tell us about the 
Bons of Jacob. 



22 SACKED HISTORY. 

21. They were at last, with the help of God, 
delivered from the Egyptians, by Moses, 1491 
B. C. Crossing the Eed Sea dry-shod, they 
entered into what is now the desert of Arabia, 
and fifty days after their departure from Egypt 
received the Divine Law, communicated from 
Mount Sinai to their leader. The idolatry 
they had learned from the Egyptians, and 
their other infidelities to God, brought upon 
them a severe punishment. He detained them 
wandering for forty years in the desert, before 
they were allowed to enter the promised land 
of Canaan. Moses died within sight of it, and 
his successor, Joshua, put them in possession. 

22. The Israelites, after their arrival in Ca- 
naan, were for three hundred years governed 
by Judges under the wise laws framed by 
Moses; had they always observed those laws, 
they would have been happy, but they trans- 
gressed them, and God permitted that they 
should be persecuted and even subjugated by 
their enemies, the Madianites, the Ammonites, 
and the Philistines. 

23. But the Lord, who wished to punish and 
not to destroy his chosen people, gave them 
from time time, as they repented of their 
errors, some great man for Judge, who deliv- 
ered them from the oppression of their ene- 

Questions.— 21. Who led the Israelites out of Egypt? 
22. Did the Israelites respect the laws ? 



SACRED HISTORY. 23 

mies. The most illustrious of these heaven- 
inspired chiefs were Gideon, Deborah, Jephtha, 
Samson, and Samuel. 

24. At last, the people of Israel became tired 
of being governed by judges, and they clam- 
ored for a king. The difference between a 
judge and a king in Israel was, that the judge 
only enforced the execution of the laws be- 
queathed by Moses, whereas the king could 
make new laws. The venerable Samuel, their 
last judge, was inspired by the Lord to select 
the king whom He had consented to give His 
people. Samuel anointed Saul, a young man 
of the tribe of Benjamin, 1095 B. C. 

25. King Saul gained great victories over 
his enemies, but becoming disobedient to God, 
the divine favor was withdrawn from him. 
David, a youth of the tribe of Judah, was at 
this time anointed by Samuel for the office of 
king, but did not begin to govei-n until after 
the death of Saul, who reigned for forty years, 
and then put an end to his own life, 1055 B. C. 

26. David established the seat of his king- 
dom at Sion or Jerusalem, which he captured 
from the Jebusites. During his reign of forty 
years, he was engaged in many wars, but was 
always successful; and at his death left his 

Questions.— 23. What great men did the Lord send 
them? 24. What change took place in their rulers? 
25. What is said of Saul ? 26. Who succeeded Saul ? 



24 SACRED HISTORY. 

people prosperous and happy. After his death, 
the kingdom passed into the hands of his son, 
the wise Solomon. This prince signalized his 
reign by building the Temple of Jerusalem, 
one of the most magnificent structures ever 
dedicated to the glory of God, 1000 B. C. 

27. After Solomon's death, his kingdom was 
divided by the revolt of ten tribes against the 
authority of Eoboam, his son and successor, 
975 B. C. The tribes of Judah and Benjamin 
alone remained faithful to him, and formed 
the kingdom of Judah, whose people were the 
Jews properly so called. They were after- 
wards joined by the tribe of Levi, and by some 
famih"es from other tribes. 

28. Jeroboam, the successful leader of the 
revolt, established for himself and his succes- 
sors the kingdom of Israel. These Israelites 
soon became idolaters, but their kingdom en- 
dured for two hundred and fifty-four years, 
and in 721 B. C. was overrun by the Assy- 
rians. The people were carried captives to 
Nineveh, and were replaced by Assyrians, who 
afterwards became the Samaritan nation. 

29. The royal family of David, which was 
destined to give to the world a Saviour, gov- 

QuESTiONs. — 26. Who was David's successor ? What 
did he do ? 27. What happened after Solomon's death ? 
28. What became of the followers of Jeroboam ? 29. 
How long did the family of David govern the Jews ? 



SACRED HISTORY. 25 

erned the Jews during 387 years. In 606 B. C. 
Jerusalem was taken by JSTebuchadnezzar II., 
king of Babylon, and the city, as well as the 
great Temple b,uilt by Solomon, razed to the 
ground. 

30. Then commenced the captivity of the 
Jews in Babylon. It lasted seventy years, 
and it was only when Cyrus the Great, king 
of Persia, conquered the Babylonian empire, 
that this unfortunate people were permitted 
to return to their country, and to rebuild the 
city and temple of Jerusalem, 536 B. 0. 

31. But the Jews, so often blessed by the 
manifest protection of God, as often incurred 
His displeasure by their ingratitude, and were 
successively subjugated by the Persians, the 
Egyptians, the Syrians, the Macedonians, and 
finally by the Eomans, 63 B. C. 

32. Judea was still a Eoman province when 
God, fulfilling His promise, sent a Saviour to 
mankind. But even this proof of His divine 
love, did not open the eyes of the Jews. They 
crucified our Lord Jesus Christ ; according to 
His prophecy, Jerusalem was completely de- 

QuESTiONS. — 29. What happened after that time? 
30. Tell us about the captivity of the Jews. 31. What 
was the subsequent fate of the Jews ? 32. What great 
event happened after Judea had become a Roman prov- 
ince ? How was the prophecy of our Lord Jesus Christ 
fulfilled ? 
3 



26 THE EGYPTIANS. 

stroyed by the Eomans, seventy years after 
His death; and the Jews, dispersed all over 
the world, remain to this day a people with- 
out a country. 



CHAPTEE III. 

Ancient History — The Egyptians. 

1. Although the history of the Assyrians 
can be traced back to an earlier period than 
that of the other Heathen nations, we give 
precedence to the Egyptians because they were 
the most advanced in civilization, and in the 
knowledge of various sciences, which they in- 
troduced into other countries by means of their 
colonies. 

2. Egypt is situated on the north-eastern 
coast of Africa, and is connected with Asia by 
the isthmus of Suez. Its soil is sterile, with 
the exception of the low lands through which 
the river Nile has its course. This river has 
periodical overflows which last three months, 
and the alluvial deposit, with which the soil 
remains covered after the water has retired, 
is a great fertilizer. 

Questions. — 1. Which is the first among Heathen 
nations ? 2. Tell us about Egypt. 



THE EGYPTIAN'S. 27 

3. The early history of this country is very 
obscure. Various dynasties succeeded each 
other in its government, the first of which is 
said to have been founded by Mizraim or 
Menes, a son of Cham, 2188 B. C. 

4. The second dynasty, founded by Arabian 
conquerors, was that of the Shepherd Kings. 
It was one of these who made Joseph his vice- 
gerent. Joseph, with the consent of Pharaoh 
(a name borne by most of the Egyptian kings), 
gave lands to his father Jacob, and all his 
family, in Egypt. The Shepherd Kings con- 
tinued in power for two hundred and -sixty 
years, when they were expelled, about 1600 

B.C. 

5. Aline of native x^rinces succeeded. These 
oppressed the Israelites, the descendants of 
Jacob, until their deliverance by Moses, 1498 
B.C. 

6. Sesostris, who ascended the throne about 
the year 1490 B. C, was one of the most re- 
markable kings of Egypt, both as a conqueror 
and a legislator. He made several warhke 
expeditions, in the course of which he subdued 
the Ethiopians, overran a large part of Asia, 
and left colonies in G-reece and elsewhere. He 



Questions.— 3. What about the early history of 
the Egyptians? 4. Who conquered the Egyptians? 
5. What kings succeeded the Shepherd- Kings? 6. TeU 
us about Sesostris. 



28 THE EGYPTIANS. 

divided the people into classes, according to 
their callings, protected and encouraged the 
arts, and constructed some of the great monu- 
ments that embellished interior Egypt. 

7. Towards 670 B. C, the historical data 
concerning the Egyptians become more pre- 
cise. Psammeticus, who then reigned in Egypt, 
opened its ports to the Greeks for the purposes 
of commerce. His son and successor, Pharaoh 
Necho, undertook to connect the Nile with 
the Ked Sea, by means of a canal. He failed 
in this enterprise, but signalized his reign by 
sending Phoenician navigators on a voyage of 
exploration, which lasted three years. They 
started from the Eed Sea, went around the 
continent of Africa, and arrived at the mouth 
of the Nile. 

8. The son of Necho was dethroned by 
Amasis, who extended considerably the com- 
mercial intercourse between Egypt and Greece. 
It was then that Solon and Pythagoras visit- 
ed Egypt to study her civilization. They re- 
turned to their country, the former to pub- 
lish his laws, and the latter to spread his 
doctrines. 



Questions.— 7. When does the history of Egypt be- 
come more precise? What about Psammeticus ? About 
his successor ? 8. Who dethroned the son of Necho ? 
Who visited Egypt about that time ? 



THE EGYPTIAN'S. 



29 



9. Towards the year 525 B. C, Cambyses, 
King of Persia, conquered Egypt and made it 
a Persian province. Cambyses rendered him- 
self odious to the Egyptians by killing, with 
His own hands, the ox Apis, which they ven- 
erated as one of their gods. 

10. Two hundred years later, Egypt again 
changed masters, and became part of the do- 
minions of the famous Macedonian conqueror, 
Alexander the Great. Ptolemy, a Macedonian 
general, was appointed governor, who, after 
Alexander's death, took the title of king. 
Thus was founded the dynasty of the Ptole- 
mies, which occupied the throne until the 
death of the renowned Queen Cleopatra, the 
last lineal descendant of Ptolemy, 30 B. 0. 

11. After the battle of Actium, Egypt became 
a Eoman province. The country that had been 
the cradle of arts and science, and which had 
stood at the head of civilization, fell into in- 
significance, and bore the yoke, successively, of 
th'e Arabs, the Turks, and the Mamelukes. It 
was, and still is subjected to the Ottoman Em- 
pire, at least nominally. The prophecy of 
Ezekiel that Egypt should never again be ruled 
by native monarchs, has been fulfilled during 
the last twenty-three centu ries. 

" Questions. — 9. Who conquered Egypt? What did 
Cambyses do? 10. What happened two hundred years 
later? How was a new dynasty founded? 11. What 
occurred after the baj^tle of Actium? 
3* 



30 THE EGYPTIANS. 

12. The Egyptians were not habitually a 
warlike people, but principally devoted them- 
selves to the peaceful pursuits of agriculture 
and commerce, and to the study of the sciences. 
They were idolaters, and worshipped the ox, 
the dog, the cat, the crocodile, &c. They | 
even counted a number of lesser divinities in j 
the vegetable kingdom. i 

13. They had, however, many wise laws and [ 
interesting customs. Their kings, after death, ! 
were publicly tried — the people having the I 
right to accuse their memory of the faults i 
committed during their lifetime — and, if found 1 
guilty, they were denied honorable burial. I 
The soldier who showed cowardice was de- 
graded, but could redeem his honor by good | 
conduct afterwards; those who falsely accused 
others, suffered the same punishment that the I 
alleged crime would have received. 

14. The three principal cities of Egypt, ! 
Heliopolis, Memphis, and Thebes, each elected j 
a number of judges, in proportion to their re- | 
spective population. These judges, thirty in i 
number, composed the tribunal or court of ' 
justice. To avoid the seductions of eloquence, | 

Questions. —12. Describe the character of the Egyp- 
tians ; their religion. 13. Tell us about the laws and 
customs of Egypt. 14. What capital cities were there 
in Egypt ? How did the judges render justice ? i 



THE EGYPTIANS. 81 

contending parties had to submit their case in 
writing. When a decision was rendered, the 
presiding judge touched the party gaining the 
suit with a small figure representing truth; 
thus implying that truth alone had dictated 
the judgment. 

15. The Egyptians wove fine cloths, and 
manufactured elaborately painted vases, long 
before these articles were known in other 
countries. They have left stupendous monu- 
ments of their architectural skill, among which 
are the famous pyramids, and the lofty obe- 
lisks cut of one piece. Some of these obelisks 
were carried to Eome during the reign of the 
Eoman emperors, and still adorn that city; 
another was shipped to Paris, with great 
trouble and expense, during the reign of Louis 
Philip. 

16. The Egyptians were skilled in astronomy 
and other sciences, and in agriculture. Their 
large commerce was carried on by the Phoeni- 
cians. They invented the art of embalming 
dead bodies ; and the mummies prepared by 
them two thousand years ago, are still in a 
fine state of preservation. 

Questions. — 16. Tell us about the industry of Egypt. 
About the pyramids and obelisks. 16. What is said of 
the knowledge of the Egyptians ? 



82 THE PHOSNICIANS. 

CHAPTEE lY. 
The Phcenicians. 

1. The Phoenicians were hardy navigators 
who lived in Asia, on the Mediterranean coast. 
"Without any other compass than the polar 
star, they undertook distant voyages for the 
purposes of trade. They founded colonies in 
the islands of Cyprus and Ehodes ; in Greece, 
Sicily, and Sardinia. Their barks even braved 
the perils of the ocean, and they visited sev- 
eral European ports. They established a 
mart at Cadiz, in Spain ; and it is believed, 
even left a colony in Ireland. 

2. The Phoenicians were instrumental in 
propagating the discoveries in the sciences 
and arts, made by the nations with which 
they trafficked ; and yet, very little is known 
of their own history. They founded several 
flourishing towns, three of which were famous 
for wealth and splendor — Sidon, Tyre and Car- 
thage. The first of these is said to have been 
founded by Sidon, the great-grandson of Noah. 

3. Tyre is celebrated in part for its well- 
known dye. This discovery was accidental. 
A hungry dog seeing a small shell-fish on the 

Questions. — 1. Who were the Phoenicians ? 2. What 
is known of their history ? What cities did they found ? 
8. How was the purple dye discovered? 



THE PHOENICIANS. 33 

sea-beach, proceeded to eat it. As he crushed 
the shell between his teeth, his jaws were 
dyed a bright and beautiful color. Some 
Tyrians, who had witnessed this incident, 
were so struck with the richness of this new 
color, that they collected a quantity of these 
shells, and succeeded in extracting from them 
the precious liquid. It was successfully ap- 
plied to dyeing, and Tyrian purple, on account 
of its beauty and rarity, became the color 
worn by kings. 

4. Tyre preserved all the advantages of a 
capital city and great commercial mart until 
the rise of Carthage, in Africa, founded in 880 
B. C, by a colony from Tyre, under Queen Dido. 

5. Carthage became so powerful as to rival 
Borne and to arouse her jealousy and hatred. 
Thirty-one years after the death of Hannibal, 
her most renowned general, the famous Roman 
general Scipio, surnamed the African, destroyed 
the city, and ended the power of the Phoeni- 
cians, B. C. 146. 

6. To this sea-faring people we owe one of 
the greatest inventions of ancient times — the 
letters of the alphabet. Previously to this in- 
vention, people made use of hieroglyphics, that 
is of pictures, instead of letters and words ; a 

Questions.— 4. What city surpassed Tyre? 5. Tell 
us about Carthage. 6. For what invention are we in- 
debted to the Phoenicians ? 



34 THE ASSYRIANS AND BABYLONIANS. | 

I 

I 

slow and imperfect mode of conveying thoughtj 
The alphabet is ascribed, perhaps justly, to the! 
Egyptians, but the Phoenician, Cadmus, first 
introduced it into Greece, whence it has been 
transmitted to us after some modifications. i 



CHAPTEE y. 
The Assyrians and Babylonians, 



1. The Assyrians and Babylonians inhabited | 
Mesopotamia; a fertile country situated be-! 
tween the rivers Tigris and Euphrates, and! 
favored by nature with a great variety of pro- j 
ductions. j 

2. Their two empires, the first known in 
Asia, became united under Ninus, King of ! 
Assyria, about 1267 B. C. Niniveh became! 
the capital of the united kingdom, but Baby- i 
Ion, as enlarged and embellished by Semira- 1 
mis, the wife of Ninus, was considered the I 
most magnificent city, not only of the empire, ' 
but of the world. j 

3. Semiramis reigned alone after her hus- ! 
band's death, and increased her dominions by | 

Questions.— 1. What people lived in Mesopotamia? 
2. How were the two empires united? Tell us about 
the two great cities. 3. Tell us about Semiramis. 



THE ASSYRIAN'S AND BABYLONIANS. 35 

several conquests. The failure of her last ex- 
.pedition against India, in which she lost one 
hundred thousand men, shortened her life, and 
3he died soon after her return to Babylon. 
She had reigned forty-two years, and was one 
3f the greatest sovereigns of ancient times. 

4. Her son, Ninyas, who succeeded her in 
the government of the empire, was as con- 
temptible as his mother had been great. He 
led a life of idleness and pleasure j and, un- 
worthy of the love of his subjects, forced their 
submission by means of a standing army. 
Little is known of his deeds or those of his 
successors, for thirty generations, until we 
come to Sardanapalus, whose disastrous end 
made him famous in history. 

5. This effeminate prince led a most shame- 
ful life. The people conspired to overthrow 
.the tyrant; and Arbaces, governor of Media, 
and Belesis, governor of Babylon, became their 
leaders. At the first news of this revolt, Sar- 
.danapalus hid himself in his palace, but his 
officers compelled him to march against the 

'rebels. His army was vanquished, and pur- 
.sued to the very gates of Niniveh, where the 
.fugitive king sought refuge. 

' Questions. — 4. Who was her successor? Tell us of 
this prince's reign and of his successors. 5. What hap- 
pened during the reign of Sardanapalus ? 



86 THE ASSYRIANS AND BABYLONIANS. 

6. The city was besieged ; and Sardanapalus 
finding it impossible to resist, caused a funeral 
pyre to be built in the palace court; and after 
placing himself on it, with his wives, his eu- 
nuchs and his treasures, had it fired, and per- 
ished in the flames. 

7. By the death of Sardanapalus or Saracus, 
747 B. C, an end was put to the first Assyrian i 
empire. Media, under Arbaces, and Babylon Ij 
under I^abonassar, became distinct kingdoms, i 
The second Assyrian empire begins with the' 
series of the kings of Niniveh, whose reigns I 
cover a period of one hundred and twenty! 
years. In 676 B. C, Niniveh was destroyed 
by the Medes and Babylonians under Cyax- 
ares, and Babylon became the seat of the em- 
pire, until its destruction by Cyrus, 538 B, C. 
This event ended also the seventy years' cap- 
tivity of the Jews. 

8. Nitocris, one of the queens of Babylonia, 
gave her successors a good lesson on avarice [ 
and the thirst for wealth. She caused her i 
tomb to be built over the principal gate of the 
city, and a report to be spread that a great j 
treasure would be buried with her. On the [ 
tomb was an inscription warning her succes- j, 
sors not to disturb her ashes. Darius, one of I 

Questions. —6. What was his fate? 7. What fol- \ 
lowed ? What occurred during this period ? 8. Tell us i 
the anecdote about the queen's tomb. 



THE ASSYRIANS AND BABYLONIANS. 37 

her successors, instead of respecting her last 
wishes, broke open the tomb; but the only- 
thing he found near the body was a tablet 
upon which these words were engraved: "If 
thou wert not thirsting for vain lucre, and the 
prey of the basest avarice, thou wouldst not 
have desecrated the abode of the dead." 

9. The last king of Babylon was Belshazzar, 
under whose reign lived the prophet Daniel, 
who had enjoyed so much consideration at the 
court of King Nebuchadnezzar II. Belshaz- 
zar was the impious and dissolute king whose 
downfall was foretold by the mysterious writ- 

' ing on the wall, interpreted by Daniel. He 
. was killed at the taking of Babylon by Cyrus 
the Great, King of Persia, by which event 
Babylon became a Persian province. 

10, The Babylonians or Chaldeans cultivated 
the sciences, and gave much attention to the 
study of astronomy. They discovered the 
solar year to be composed of 365 days and 6 

. hours. They were the inventors of the sun- 

J dial, and pf astrology, or divination by means 

of the planets. The Chaldean doctors were 

called Magi : thence is derived the word 

-, Magic. 

Questions. — 9. Who was the last king of Babylon? 
What is said of him ? 10. Describe the character of the 
, Babylonians. 
4 



38 THE MEDES AND PERSIANS. 

CHAPTER YI. 
The Medes and Persians. 

1. The Medes, who, like the Persians, lived 
beyond the river Tigris, threw off the yoke of 
the Assyrians during the reign of Sardanapa- 
lus, and about 708 B. C. elected Dejoces for 
their kin^;. 

2. Dejoces was a wise and peaceful prince, 
who, during thirty years that he reigned, 
labored to soften the natural fierceness of his 
people, and to inspire them with the love of 
peace. His successor, Phraortes, was more 
warlike and ambitious. He conquered the 
Persians, and having joined their forces to his 
own, overran Asia. He even dared to attack 
the Assyrians; and was defeated by Nebu- 
chadnezzar and killed. 

3. His son, Cyaxares, continued the war; 
and finally took Nineveh and destroyed it, 626 
B. C. Astyages, the son of this king, gov- 
erned the kingdom after his father's death for 
thirty-five years, with great wisdom, dying 
in 560 B. C. Astyages left a son and a daughter, 
the former of whom succeeded him as Cyax- 



QuEsTiONs. — 1. How did the Medes form a kingdom? 
2. Tell us about Dejoces and his successor. 3. What 
followed ? 



THE MEDES AND PERSIANS. 89 

ares IL, and the other, Mandana, by her mar- 
riage with Cambyses, Prince of Persia, became 
the mother of the future king, Cyrus. 

4. Cyrus gave early signs of his future great- 
ness ; when quite 3'oung he commanded the 
army of his father Cambyses. At the head 
of the Persian allies he gained for his uncle 
Cyaxares, two glorious victories over the Baby- 
lonians and the troops of Croesus, king of 
Liydia. 

5. The name of this Lydian king, who was 
immensely wealthy, has become proverbial, 
and " as rich as Croesus " is a familiar expres- 
sion everywhere, A touching incident is re- 
ported concerning his only son, who was dumb. 
At the storming of Sardis, a soldier was about 
to deal a fatal blow to the king; the young 
prince's emotion upon seeing his father's dan- 
ger was so great that it burst the bonds that 
held his tongue captive, and he exclaimed 
aloud : " Soldier ! do not kill Croesus ! " 

6. Cyrus followed up his victories. From 
Lydia, he marched upon Babylon, which he 
took by stratagem, 538 B. C. After this, 
Babylon fell into decay, and is site is now 
only a heap of ruins. These events had all 

Questions. — 4. Tell us about Cyrus the Great. 5. Re- 
late the anecdote about Croesus. 6. What did Cyrus 
after his victory ever Croesus ? 



40 THE MEDES AND PERSIANS. 

been predicted by the prophets Isaiah and I 
Jeremiah. Thus fell the Babylonian or sec- |j 
end Assyrian Empire, two hundred and ten 
years after its formation, and eighty-eight I 
after the fall of Nineveh. ' 

7. Cyrus, by his marriage with the only 
child of his uncle, Cyaxares, became the heir ! 
of the kingdom of Media, as he was already | 
heir to that of Persia through his father Cam- ji 
byses. By their decease he ascended the throne jl 
as king, and founded the Persian Empire, 536 '' 
B. C. The first year of the reign of Cyrus the ! 
Great was made memorable by his generous ! 
treatment of the Israelites, who had been held I 
captive in Babylon for seventy years. He set j 
them free, permitted them to rebuild the 
temple of Jerusalem, and restored to them all 
Judea. 

8. Cambyses the Younger, in 529 B. C, suc- 
ceeded his father Cyrus, whom he was far 
from resembling, being vindictive and cruel, 
and possessing none of the noble qualities 
which had earned for his predecessor the sur- 
name of Great. The conquest of ^gyi:>t, 525 
B. C, was the only remarkable event of his 
reign. He had unjustly put to death his sis- 
ter and brother. . During his absence in Egypt, 

Questions. — 7. What more in regard to Cyrus? 
8. Who succeeded Cyrus ? What is said of Cambyses ? 



THE MEDES AND PEKSIANS. 41 

an impostor assumed the name of this brother, 
Smerdis, and usurped the throne. Cambyses 
died in Egypt, 522 B. C. In the following 
year the imposition was discovered, and the 
pretended Smerdis was slain by the lords of 
the court. 

9. Darius Hystaspes, one of these lords, 
was proclaimed king. The Babylonians re- 
volted, but through the self-devotion of one of 
his officers, Zopyrus, Darius obtained posses- 
sion of the city, and then demolished its bra- 
zen gates and other defences. Darius invaded 
Scythia without result, but added India, Mace- 
don, Thrace, and numerous islands to his 
empire. 

10. Hippias, an exile from Athens, having 
stirred up the Persian governor of Sardis 
against the Athenians, the Athenians in re- 
venge assisted the Greeks of the Persian empire 
in a revolt, and destroyed Sardis, 500 B. 0. 
Darius therefore formed an expedition against 
Athens, but was defeated at the celebrated bat- 
tle of Maranthon, 490 B. C. Thus began that 
long contest between the Greeks and the Per- 
sians, which was to end in the destruction of 
the Persian empire. 

11. At the death of Darius, in 485 B. C, 
Xerxes, his son, succeeded to the throne. He 

Questions. — 9. What is said of the reign of Darius 
Hystaspes? 10. Of the Greeks during his reiga? 
11. Who succeeded Darius? ^ 



42 THE MEDES AND PERSIAN-S. j 

invaded Greece with more than two millions 
of men, but was defeated at the battle of Sala-1 
mis, 480 B C, and in the following year at 
Plataea and Mycale. His reign is supposed! 
to have lasted twelve years, and ended in hisj 
violent death. | 

12. Artaxerxes I., called Longimanus from |i 
the length of his hands, succeeded his father! 
Xerxes. The defeats suffered by him from I 
the Greeks occasioned him to conclude a' 
peace with them, 449 B. C. Three sons of i 
this king succeeded him, one after the other, | 
the third of whom, Darius Nothus, reigned I 
for nineteen years, leaving for successor, Arta- 1 
xerxes II., his son, 405 B. C. I 

13. This prince, called Mnemon from his I 
remarkable memory, intrusted his brother, j 
Cyrus the Younger, with important commands. \ 
Cyrus, being desirous of supreme power, ad- | 
vanced with Greek allies upon his brother, j 
but was killed in battle. The Greeks, although ! 
not unsuccessful, were obliged to return to | 
their own country through great dangers- ' 
This retreat is known in history as the Re- i 
treat of the Ten Thousand, 399 B. C. | 

14. The Persian empire endured under three i 
more kings, the thirteenth and last king being 

Questions. — 12. Who succeeded Xerxes? 13. Tell 
us about the successor of Xerxes. 



THE MEDES AND PERSIAN'S. 43 

Darius Codomanus. In the battle of Arbela, 
i 331 B. C, he was vanquished by Alexander 

the Great, and an end was put to the Persian 

empire, after it had lasted two hundred and 
: six years from its foundation by Cyrus the 

Great. 

15. The Persians at first adored the Spirit 
1 of God, but afterwards became worshippers 
[ of the sun and of fire. They built no temples, 
f saying that to enclose the Deity between walls 
■ would be an insult. 

16. The Persian provinces were governed 
] by officers called satraps, over whom were 
. three superintendents, who reported to the 

king. The proj^het Daniel was for a time one 
I of these three. The Persian laws were excel- 
lent, and the judges were just. The morals 
, of the young were watched over, and their 
. diet and exercise prescribed by law. The 
^ strength of mind and body thus acquired gave 
the Persians great advantages over the sur- 
, rounding nations, until wealth and luxury 
enfeebled them. 

Questions. — 14. What was the final end of the Per- 
sian empire ? 15. Tell us about the religion of the Per- 
sians. 16. About their government and laws. 



44 INDIA. 

CHAPTEE YII. 
India. 

1. Yery little is known about the origin and 
early history of the various tribes who inhab- 
ited the country named India, the principal 
part of which lies between the two rivers 
Indus and Ganges. That country abounded 
in the most valuable productions. Rice, the 
sugar-cane, the different varieties of spices, 
and the most delicious fruits grew there, and 
required little cultivation. Diamonds and 
other precious stones were also found in great 
abundance; and numerous herds of elephants 
inhabited the forests. 

2. So much wealth could not fail to awaken 
the cupidity of ambitious conquerors. Semir- 
amis, more than 2000 B. C, had crossed the 
Indus, and invaded the country, as Sesostris 
did 700 years after. Neither of these held 
permanent possession. Eight hundred years 
later, Darius Hystaspes, Kmg of Persia, fitted 
out a large fleet for the purpose of exploring 
the Indus ; and followed this up by an inva- 
sion of the country beyond, of which he took 
possession, 500 to 521 B. C. The importance 



Questions. — 1. Describe India. 2. What invasions 
were made ? 



INDIA. 45 

Df this conquest may be judged from the fact 
that these new possessions brought Darius a 
yearly income of three hundred and sixty gold 
talents — over four millions of dollars. 

3. After achieving the subjugation of Per- 
sia, the great conqueror, Alexander of Mace- 
ion, organized an expedition against its In- 
dian provinces, 326 B. C. He gained great 
advantages, and pushed as far as the Hydas- 
oes, which he crossed, gaining a signal victory 
)ver the Indian army under Porus, which de- 
fended the shores of that river. Alexander 
would probably have pushed his conquests 
oeyo'nd the Ganges; but his troops became 
lisheartened at the prospect of penetrating 
nto that unknown country, and the project 
lA^as abandoned. Seleucus, who succeeded to 
oart of Alexander's dominions, carried his 
irms to the Ganges or beyond. After this we 
s:now but little of the ancient history of India. 

4. The Indians believed in one God, creator 
l)f the world. They recognized the immor- 
tality of the soul, but believed in metempsy- 
khosis, which teaches that the soul, after death, 
oasses into another body; and that the souls 
l)f vicious and criminal men were condemned 
GO live in the body of the vilest animals. 

Questions. — 3. What other conqueror made an ex- 
oecUtion to India? With what result? 4. What were 
ihe religious notions of the Indians ? 



46 GREECE. I 

5. The Brahmins were a privileged caste, 
who occupied the highest offices and filled the| 
priesthood ; but agriculture was held in such 
great honor, that those who tilled the soilj 
were exempted from all taxation. 



CHAPTEE YIII. 

Greece. 



I 

1. This country, situated in the south-east-! 
ern extremity of Europe, and bounded by| 
water on all sides except on the north, was' 
formerly divided into several small kingdoms | 
and states. These constituted ancient Greece. ! 

2. The Greeks, at first fierce and savage ; 
tribes, subsequently advanced to such a de- ' 
gree of discipline and cultivation as to occupy I 
the first rank among nations. Their early I 
history is entirely traditional and greatly min- 1 
gled with fiction. i 

3. The first remarkable enterprise of the ! 
Greeks transmitted to us by tradition, was I 
• — . i 

Questions.— 5. What classes were privileged and j 
honored? — 1. Where was ancient Greece situated?! 
2. What have you to say about the early history of the | 
Greeks? 3. What first remarkable enterprise of the 
Greeks can you relate ? 



GREECE. Al' 

the expedition of the Argonauts in search of 
the Golden Fleece, 1253 B. C. This expedi- 
tion was probably only a voyage of discovery, 
undertaken for the purpose of extending the 
commercial relations of the Greeks, and of 
establishing colonies on the Mediterranean 
coast. 

4. Another celebrated enterprise was the 
siege of Troy, or Ilium, by the allied princes 
of Greece, to avenge the wrongs of Menelaus, 
a Grecian king, whose wife was carried off by 
Paris, son of Priam, king of Troy. This 
event has been rendered forever memorable 
^in the admirable poetry of Homer. Troy was 
taken 1134 B. C. 

' 5. Greece w^as originally settled by the de- 
scendants of Javan or Ion, son of Japhet and 
grandson of Noah. Its most ancient city was 
'Sicyon, founded about 2000 B. C, by iEgia- 
leus, a cotemporary of Abraham's father. 
Argos, founded 1856 B. C, Athens, 1582, 
Thebes, 1519, Sparta, 1516, and Corinth, 1376, 
were among the other ancient cities. 

6. The three great divisions of Greece were 
'the Peloponnesus (now Morea), containing six 
states; Hellas, north of this peninsula, con- 

QuESTiONS. — 4. What other celebrated enterprise 
have the poets sung? 5. By whom was Greece origin- 
ally settled ? Which were its ancient cities? 6. What 
were the great divisions of Greece ? 



48 GREECE. 

lainiiig nine ; the third being composed of the | 
two Rt'ates of Thessal}- and Epirus. To these | 
was afterwards added Macedonia, at the ex- 1 
treme north. " | 

7. Laceda}mon, or Laconia, generally called \ 
Sparta, from its principal city, rose to the head 
of the first of these divisions, as Attica, whose : 
capital was Athens, did in the second. These | 
two states were rivals, and their frequent j 
quarrels involved the other states in many 
bloody wars. 

8. Eleusis, celebrated for its temple of the ( 
goddess Ceres, where the Eleusinian mysteries [ 
(a certain form of worship) took place; Mount | 
Parnassus, where the Muses were supposed to | 
dwell ; and Delphi, famous for its temple of j 
Apollo, were all in Hellas, or Middle Greece. | 

9. The events of Grecian history were reck- 1 
oned by Olympiads, periods of four years be- 1 
tween the celebration of the Olympic games, | 
in which all Greece took part, at Olympia, in j 
the Peloponnesus. The first of these recorded | 
was in 776 B. C. | 

10. About this time, Lycurgus gave laws to i 
the Spartans, and their government of two | 
hereditary kings was established. Athens, in ! 



QuKSTiONS. — 7. What were the chief states of Greece? 
8. What famous places in Greece? 9. How is Grecian 
history reckoned? 10. Tell us about the laws and gov- 
ernment of Sparta and Athens. 



GREECE. 49 

622 B. C, adopted the laws of Draco, but re- 
placed them,, twenty-eight j^ears after, by the 
milder code of Solon. This provided archons 
as the chief rulers, and established the ce\e- 
brated court of the Areopagus, the same body 
that was afterwards addressed by St. Paul the 
apostle. With a few interruptions, Athens 
and Sparta continued these forms of govern- 
ment until absorbed in the Eoman empire, 
146 B. C. 

11. The first of these interruptions was the 
usurpation of the government of Athens, for 
fifty years, by Pisistratus and his family. 
Hippias, his son, was expelled from Greece, 
and took refuge with Darius (Hystaspes), 
king of Persia, 510 B. C. Out of revenge 
against his countrymen, Hippias urged this 
king to make war on Greece. Darius had other 
reasons for undertaking this war, because, in a 
revolt against him of the Greek cities in his 
empire, they had been assisted by Athens. 

12. Darius landed in Attica with one hun- 
dred and ten thousand men, under one of his 
best generals, and advanced upon Athens. 
Miltiades, with ten thousand Athenians and 
one thousand Platseans, met the enemy at 
Marathon, and completely defeated him, 490 
B. C. 

Questions. — 11. What usurpation occurred in Athens, 
and what followed ? 12. What is said of Darius ? 
6 



50 GREECE. 

13. Xerxes, the son and successor of Darius, I 

nndertook a second invasion of Greece, ten 

years later, with two millions of men. From 

the point where his forces landed, his way led [ 

to Athens, in part through the narrow pass I 

of Thermopylffi. This was guarded by about j 

six hundred Greeks, one-half of whom were j 

Spartans, all under the command of LeonidaSj |l 

one of the Spartan kings, 480 B. C. | 

14. The little band of heroes fought with - 

desperation, and kept the enemy at bay for 

some days, making a dreadful slaughter among i{ 

them, but were finally all killed, with the ex- | 

ception of one man, who carried the news to | 

Sparta. The Persians overran Attica, and \ 

ravaged the country. They sacked and burned | 

Athens, which had been abandoned by its in- | 

habitants. I 

15. Themistocles, the commander of the I 

Athenians, in the same year encountered a | 

Persian fleet of twelve hundred galleys, at | 

Salamis, and, with one-fourth of that number | 

of vessels, gained a complete victory. Xerxes, i 

terrified at this destruction of the greater part ! 

of his naval forces, returned to Asia, Jeav- ' 

ing an army corps, under his lieutenant Mar- i 

don i us, to car ry on hostilities by land. Over | 

Questions. -13. Of Xerxes? 14. What is said of 
follon'ed' '^ ^^^^^^Pyl*? 15. Of the victories that 



GREECE. 51 

these, the Greeks, under Pausanias, king of 
Sparta, and Aristides, the Athenian general, 
gained a brilliant victory at Platsea, in the fol- 
lowing year. A similar success for the G-reeks, 
both by land and by sea, occurred at Mycale, 
in Asia Minor, the same year, 479 B. C. 

16. The Spartans erected a monument at 
Thermopylae in honor of Leonidas, and their 
other brave countrymen, on which was graven 
this inscription: " Go, traveller, and tell Sparta 
that we died here in obedience to her sacred 
laws." 

17. The continued successes of the Greeks 
over the Persians, occasioned Artaxerxes I., 
the son of Xerxes, to propose terms of peace, 
which were adopted 449 B. C. In the same 
year, Cimon, the leader of the Athenians, 
died. He had been associated with Aristides 
and afterwards with Pericles in the govern- 
ment. All these, and many others of the 
great men of Athens, suffered more or less 
from the fickleness of their countrymen. The 
most remarkable example of this injustice 
occurred afterwards, in the case of the phi- 
losopher Socrates, one of the greatest men 
whom Athens or the world has produced, who 

Questions. — 16. What honor did the Spartans ren- 
der to the memory of Leonidas and his companions ? 
17. What is said of Artaxerxes ? Of the fickleness of the 
Greeks ? 



62 GREECE. 

•was compelled by his countrj^men to drink 
poison. 

18. The rivalry existing between Sparta and 
Athens, and the ambition of the former, which 
6ou<,^ht to rule the destinies of Greece, brought 
about the Peloponnesian war, in which all the 
Grecian states took part. The Spartans were 
the aggressors, and invaded Attica, 431 B. C. 
Two years after this died Pericles, under whom 
Athens arrived at the highest pitch of her glory. 
After ten years of continual civil warfare, dur- 
ing which victory favored alternately the two 
contending parties, a treaty of peace was con- 
cluded, called the Peace of Nicias, from the 
name of the Athenian who was instrumental 
in securing it. 

19. Hostilities were soon resumed, however, 
by the Athenians, under the influence of Alci- 
biades, a young general of brilliant talents, and 
continued for many years, during which, not- 
withstanding occasional reverses, the power 
of Sparta increased considerably. The Pelo- 
ponnesian war, after lasting for twenty-seven 
years, was ended by the capture of Athens, 
404 B. C. ' 

^ 20. The Greek troops, being nowunemployed 
in war, were invited by Cyrus the Younger 

Questions. -18. What brought about the first civil 
war ? IIow did it end ? 19. Was the peace lasting ? 



GKEECE. 53 

to assist him in wresting the throne of Persia 
from his brother, Artaxerxes II. The Greeks 
were victorious, but Cyrus having been killed 
in battle, there was no longer any motive for 
their stay in Persia, and they retraced their 
steps to their own country. This march of 
fifteen hundred miles was the famous " Eetreat 
of the Ten Thousand,^' 899 B. C. Besides 
meeting every variety of hardship, they had to 
fight their way both against the Persians and 
the native tribes through whose lands they 
passed. Their leader, Xenophon, has left us 
the history of this great achievement. 

21. A combination of several of the Grecian 
states against Sparta, in 395 B. C, recalled the 
Spartan king Agesilaus from Persia, where he 
was meeting with great successes. He over- 
came the allies at Coronea, but his fleet was 
defeated at Cnidus at the same time. The 
Persians aided Athens on this occasion, but 
the Spartans afterwards gained them over by 
a dishonorable treaty, restoring the Greek 
cities in Asia Minor to Persia. For fear of 
Persia and Sparta combined, all the states 
were obliged to ratify this treaty, 387 B. C. 

22. Five years after, the Spartans unjustifi- 
ably seized the citadel of Thebes. Pelopidas 

Questions. — 20. What circumstances occasioned tlie 
Betreat of the Ten Thousand ? 21. What events then 
occurred in Greece ? 
6* 



54 GREECE. 

and Kpiuninondas, two eminent Thebans, with 
the assistance of Athenian and Boeotian troops, 
retook the citadel, 378 B. C. Thus began the 
Theban war, in which the Spartans were de- 
feated at Leiictra, 371 B. C, and at Mantinea, 
363. By this last blow Sparta was perma- 
nently humbled. Epaminondas lost his life at 
Mantinea, and Thebes, as a state, returned toj 
its original obscurity. 

23. The next war in Greece was occasioned 
by an invasion of the precincts of the temple 
of Apollo at Delphi, by the people of Phocis, 
in whose state it was situated. This is called 
the Sacred War, 357 B. C. Philip, who had 
ascended the throne of Macedonia two years 
before, took part in this war, which agitated 
the whole of Greece, lasting eleven years. 

24. This gave Philip a foothold in Attica, 
and his ambitious schemes for the subjugation 
of Greece soon became apparent. The elo- 
quent Demosthenes roused his countrymen to 
a desperate resistance, but, weakened by their ! 
continual wars, they could not compete with i 
the troops of the wily Macedonian. The vie- | 
tory of Cheronsea made Philip the ruler of | 
Greece, 338 B. C. 

Questions.— 22. How did the Theban war break out? ! 
Tell us about its results. 23. Why was the Sacred War 
undertaken ? 24. Who schemed the subjugation of 
Greece, and with what results ? 



GREECE. 55 

25. Philip was succeeded, two years after 
this, by his son Alexander, then but twenty 
years of age, to whom posterity has awarded 
the surname of Great, for his extraordinary 
success in war. This young prince undertook, 
with a very small army, the conquest of the 
world. In a few years he conquered all "West- 
ern Asia and Egypt, and put an end to the 
Persian empire, 331 B. C. 

26. Alexander then made an expedition into 
India, and penetrated that country, conquer- 
ing all who opposed his march, including the 
Scj^thians of Northern Asia. But his troops 
having refused to advance further into these 
vast and unknown regions, he was compelled 
to abandon the project of passing beyond the 
Ganges. 

27. The young conqueror returned to Baby- 
lon to prepare new schemes for the aggrand- 
izement of his empire ;• but having given him- 
self up to intemperate excesses, he died inglo- 
riously, in the flower of his age, 324 K C. 
After his death, his empire fell to pieces, 
Greece and Macedonia forming, under Cassan- 
der, one of its four divisions, 301 B. C. Greece 
did not recover her independence, but became 

Questions. — 25. Who succeeded Philip ? What coun- 
tries did he conquer? 26. What expedition did he then 
make ? 27. What was the ultimate fate of this famous 
conqueror? 



66 GREECE. 

a prey to revolutions and internal disturb- 
ances. 

28. In the midst of the reigning disorder, 
Macedonia and Thrace were invaded by the 
Gauls under Brennus, who even advanced into 
Greece and plundered the temple at Delphi. 
While they were engaged in this robbery, 
there arose a fearful storm, accompanied with 
an earthquake. The darkness became so dense 
that the Gauls attacked one another, believing 
the enemy was upon them. Seized with a 
strange terror, they took to flight, crying that ' 
the god Pan protected the temple. It is from 
thisincidentthat the expression " panic terror," 
employed to designate uncontrollable fear, took 
its rise. The Gauls were repulsed, one part 
settling on the Danube, another in Thrace, 
and a third in a country in Asia Minor called, 
after them, Galatia. St. Paul afterwards 
preached there, and addressed one of his epis- 
tles to the Galatians. 

29. Achaia, one of the states of the Pelo- 
ponnesus, had, by its good government and 
Its internal discipline, begun to rise in influ- 
ence among the Grecian states. Many of 
these formed with it a confederacy for mutual 
protection, called the Achiean League, 251 

Questions. -28. Tell us about the Gauls at Delphi. 
What became of them ? 29. What is said of Achaia ? 



GREECE. 57 

B. C. Aratus, a distinguished citizen of 
Sicyon, was called to the head of aifairs. 
Athens and Thebes no longer possessed any- 
political importance, and the Athenians had 
become weakened by luxury and effeminacy. 

30. Sparta also was sinking, from the decay 
of its ancient manly spirit, and from the hos- 
tility which its long course of aggressions had 
brought uj^on it from the other Grecian states. 
Its king, Agis Y., endeavored to restore to 
their former vigor the laws of Lycurgus, but 
the effort cost him his life, and even that of 
his mother and grandmother, who were put 
to death with him by his degenerate country- 
men, 240 B. C. Cleomenes III., his warlike 
successor, gained repeated advantages over the 
Achseans, who then called in to their assistance 
Antigonus Doto, or Doson, king of Macedon. 
These armies defeated the Spartans in their 
own territory, at Sallasia, by which defeat 
Sparta was nearly annihilated, 222 B. C. 

31. Philip, king of Macedon, the sixth of the 
name, nephew and successor of Antigonus, 
provoked the Romans by joining an alliance 
against them which had been set on foot by 
Hannibal. In consequence, Roman troops in- 

QuESTiONS. — 29. What is said of Athens and Thebes? 
80. What of Sparta? Of its kings, Agis and Cleomenes? 
i81. What of Macedonia and the Romans? 



68 GREECE. 

vaded ^raecdonia, nnd conquered it, but did not 
at once take away its liberties, 197 B. C. 

32. The days of Grecian independence now 
begin to draw to a close. The Sj^artans, in a 
final struggle with the Achjeans, were con- 
quered by the successor of Aratus, Philipoe- 1 
men, called "the last of the Greeks," because j 
Greece produced afterw^ards no other worthy j 
of her ancient glory, 191 B. C. Sparta then 
joined the Achaean League, and her eventful 
history of six centuries, beginning from the 
time of Lycurgus, closes. The glorious career j| 
of Athens, extending over a period of four | 
hundred years from the time of Solon, is also i 
at an end, and she is now only an undistin- || 
guished member of the Achaean confederacy, j 
33. Perseus, king of Macedon, inheriting | 
the animosity of his father, Philip, against i 
the Romans, again draws down upon his coun- i 
try their victorious arms. By his defeat at I 
Pydna, in his own dominions, an end is put j 
to the Macedonian kingdom, after it had lasted j 
one hundred and fifty-six years from the time [ 
of Alexander the Great. 148 B. C. With 
Thessaly and Epirus, it then formed the Eo- 



QuESTiONs. — 32. What is said of the last days of Gre- 
cian independence? Of Sparta? Of Athens? 33. Tell 
us about the events that put an end to the Macedonian 
empire. What did it become under the Romans ? 



GKEECB. 59 

man province of Macedonia, with the capital 
at Thessalonica. 

34. The Achseans themselves, now the last 
surviving representatives of Grecian liberty, 
were so imprudent as to provoke Eome into 
aggressions. They had confidently reckoned 
on success, but on the first encounter with the 
Eoman troops near Corinth, (the capital at 
that time of the confederacy,) were disas- 
trously routed, in the one hundred and fifth 
year of the confederacy, 146 B. C. The Eo- 
man forces captured Corinth and totally de- 
stroyed it : its male citizens were put to death, 
and its women and children sold into slavery. 
Thus, the subjugation of Greece, which the 
Persians had attempted, and the Macedonians 
had begun, was reserved for the Eomans. 
Henceforth, all Greece south of Thessaly and 
Epirus became a Eoman province under the 
title of Achaia. Corinth, rebuilt under Julius 
Caesar, became its capital. The capitals both 
of Macedonia and Achaia were afterwards the 
scene of the labors of St. Paul, who addressed 
two of his epistles to the former, (Thessalo- 
nians,) and two to the latter, (Corinthians.) 

Questions. — 34. What was the end of the Achaean 
League ? What were the events at Corinth ? What is 
the subsequent history of Greece? Tell us about St. 
Paul. 



60 GREECE. 

35. iN'o otlier country could ever boast of so 
many great men as did Greece in the days of 
her splendor. In science and arts, in warfare 
and literature, she held the first rank; and 
her influence/ so great in the days of her inde- 
pendence, has survived her ruin, and is pre- 
served in the imperishable literary treasures 
which she has bequeathed to posterity. 

30. The striking contrast between the na- 
tional traits of the two leading Grecian states, 
Sparta and Athens, was due principally to the 
different systems of civilization of the two 
great legislators of antiquity, Lycurgus and 
Solon. The former made of the Spartans a 
people of Avarriors. Every thing like luxury 
was banished from the state, and the young 
Spartans were subjected, from an early age, to 
a physical training that fitted them for a sol- 
dier's life. 

37. An anecdote is told of Lycurgus, to 
show the power and influence of education. 
He took two young hounds from the same 
litter, and had them carefully brought up upon 
two very diflPerent systems. One of the dogs 
was abundantly fed on choice viands, and left 
to follow his own instincts; the other was 
allowed a spare diet, and trained daily for the 

Questions.— 35. What is said of the great men of 
Greece? 36. Contrast Sparta and Athens. 37. Tell us 
the anecdote of the two young hounds. 



GREECE. 61 

chase. One day, when the people were assem- 
bled on the public place, as was customary, 
Lycurgus caused the two hounds to be brought 
out. Then, at some distance before them, a 
hare was let loose, and a dish of meat was 
placed on the ground. The trained dog at 
once started in pursuit of the hare, while his 
idle and pampered brother ran to the dish. 

38. " O Spartans," said Lycurgus ; '' these 
two hounds are of the same noble breed, come 
from the same litter; behold how diiferent 
their tastes ! So is it with your children : 
train them early, and they will become useful 
citizens; but let them grow up in idleness and 
luxury, and they will become the degenerate 
victims of vice." 

39. Solon developed in Athens the notions 
of civilization he had brought from Egypt. 
The young Athenians were educated with the 
greatest care in every branch of study. The 
arts were cultivated, and Athens became the 
cradle of literature and science. 

40. The result of the two systems is found 
in the glory shed upon these tM^o states by 
their respective citizens. If Sparta could boast 
of heroes and warriors like Leonidas, Agesi- 

QuESTiONS. — 38. What did Lycurgus say to the peo- 
ple? 39. What were the fruits of Solon's system? 
40. What different results did these systems of educa- 
tion produce ? 
6 



62 KOME. 

hiiis, Pausanias, and others, Athens had a host 
of bright names to show in every career; 
statesmen, orators, philosophers, and warriors, 
such as Pericles, Demosthenes, Socrates, Aris- 
tides, Miltiades, Cimon — names that have 
become immortal; besides artists, poets, and I 
historians, the most of whose works have been 
handed down to our own day. 



CHAPTEE IX. 

EOME. 



1. EoME was founded by Romulus, a de- j 

scendant of the Trojan prince ^neas. The | 

poets relate that Eomulus and his brother i 
Eemus, abandoned in the woods, were fed by 

a she-wolf; that as they grew up, they gath- I 

ered around them a band of hunters and shep- I 

herds like themselves ; then, having discovered ! 

that they were descended from the family of I 

the kings of Alba, they resolved to build near | 

Alba a city which should be the seat of their ' 

own power. The hill to be chosen for the site ' 
of the new city was a matter of dispute be- 
tween the brothers. The result of the quarrel 
was, that Eemus was killed by his brother, 

foundedT''""^* How a^TV^m was Rome 



EOME. 63 

and the Palatine hill chosen for the site. Here 
the city was laid out, and received the name 
of Eome from its founder, 753 B. C 

2. Adventurers were invited hither from all 
countries, and Bomulus soon found himself at 
the head of a growing kingdom. Six kings suc- 
ceeded Komulus, the whole period of the mon- 
archy embracing two and a half centuries. 
These kings were — Numa Pompilius, a wise 
legislator and the founder of the religion of 
the Eomans ; Tullus Hostilius and Ancus Mar- 
tius, both warlike princes, under the first of 
whom the kingdom of Alba was subdued, and 
under the second the city of Ostia built. 
Tarquinius Priscus, who built the Cloaca 
Maxima, or great sewer, still in use, and con- 
quered the Etrurians and Sabines ; Servius 
Tullius, who improved the laws and extended 
the limits of the city so as to embrace Eome's 
seven hills; and finally, Tarquinius Superbus, 
or the Proud. The criminal actions of this 
king and of his son occasioned their banish- 
ment, 509 B. C. 

3. The Eomans were at this time divided 
into two classes, the patricians, men of free 
or noble ancestry, and the plebeians, compris- 
ing all others. On the fall of the monarchy 

Questions. — 2. What, kings succeeded Romulus? 
What change then took place? 3. How was the repub- 
lic organized? 



64 BOME 



a republic was proclaimed, with two consuls 
at the head, chosen from the patricians. One 
of the first two was Brutus, renowned for hi9 
just condemnation of his own son to death. 
Iloratius Codes and Mutius Scaevola were 
two other Eoman heroes who performed about 
this time deeds of valor against Porsenna, 
king of Etruria. 

4. After several years of war caused by the 
attempts of the Tarquin family to regain its 
lost poAver, peace was restored between Rome 
and her neighbors. Domestic troubles fol- 
lowed, however, arising from the oppressed 
condition of the plebeian classes. The discord 
was quieted by the appointment of five (after- 
wards ten) magistrates, called tribunes, chosen 
from among themselves, and elected yearly, 
like the consuls, 493 B. C. Their office was | 
to protect the rights of the plebeians. They | 
could annul a law of the senate by saying, j 
Veto, '' I forbid it." 

5. A new office was created shortly before, 
that of dictator. In times of great public 
danger, the dictator was to have supreme 
command for six months. The office had 
been filled by two persons up to this period ; 
the third who held it was Cincinnatus, called 



Questions.— 4. What wars and troubles followed the 
formiition of the republic? 5. What new office was 
created about this time ? Who filled it ? 



ROME. 65 

from the plough to defend his country against 
the iEqui. Having defeated the enemy, he 
resigned the dictatorship after holding it for 
sixteen days, and returned to his farm, 458 
B. C. His example had its parallel in modern 
times in the conduct of our own Washington. 
Examples like this are rare, owing to the vio- 
lent love of power among men. 

6. The need of a settled body of law^s obliged 
the Romans to send deputies to Greece to col- 
lect laws, chiefly from among those of Solon. 
On their return, (452 B. C.,) ten commission- 
ers were appointed, called decemvirs, to draw 
up a code. During the year that they were so 
engaged, all the power of the state was placed 
in their hands. On various pretexts they con- 
trived to retain their power for another year, 
and then for another. Their chief, Appius 
Claudius, attempted to carry off Virginia, the 
daughter of a plebeian, Yirginius. Her father 
took her life to save her honor, and then 
aroused the people against the decemvirs, 
who were banished or j)ut to death, and the 
consuls and tribunes restored to ofl&ce, 449 
B. C. 

7. The office of censor was created shortly 
after. The censor was to take the census 

Questions. — 6. What about the decemvirs ? 7. What 
other offices were created? 
6* 



bb BOMB. 

every five years, and to strike from the list 
and degrade any citizen who had in the mean 
time been guilty of gross offences. Two qiiass- 
tors or treasurers were appointed to take care 
of the finances of the city, and two others to 
follow the army. In place of the two consuls 
from the patrician order, three military tri- 
bunes, eligible either from the patricians or 
the plebeians, began to hold office 444 B. 0. 
Seventy-eight years after, the old order of con- 
suls was restored. 

8. The army now began to receive regular 
pay, and its services became more valuable. 
Camillus, elected dictator on account of a war 
with the neighboring Veil, led the troops 
against the wealthy city of that name, and 
took it. On account of an unjust charge made 
against him in connection with the spoils of 
Yeii, Camillus quitted Eome. An invasion of 
the Gauls under Brennus took place in this 
interval. They defeated the Eomans at the 
river Allia, entered the city, put to death its 
eighty aged senators, and sacked and burned 
Eome, 390 B. C. 

9. Camillus generously came to the relief 
of Eome, and expelled the Gauls. The city 
was rebuilt. The Latins, so called from the 



Questions. — 8. What is said of the army ? Of Camil- 
lus ? What events folloM^ed ? 9. What happened to the 
Gauls and other enemies of the Romans? 



BOME. 67^ 

territory of Latium around Eome, were next 
subdued, 338 B. C. War had also been begun 
with the people of Samnium, an adjoining 
province. It was continued for about sixty- 
years, and the Samnites were finally subju- 
gated, 282 B. C. The following year, war 
broke out with the Tarentines of Calabria in 
Southern Italy, and the Eomans were victori- 
ous here also. Thus, all Central and South- 
ern Italy became subject to Eome, 274 B. C. 
Pyrrhus, king of Epirus, one of the Grecian 
states, who had assisted the Tarentines, shared 
in their defeat. With these flattering suc- 
cesses, Eome approached the completion of 
her five hundredth year. 

10. The Mamertines, or inhabitants of Mes- 
sina, at a point on the island of Sicily nearest 
Italy, were attacked by Hiero, king of Syra- 
cuse, assisted by the Carthaginians, who also 
held Agrigentum, both these cities being on 
the island. The Eomans came to the succor 
of the Mamertines, and defeated the enemy, 
264 B. C. Thus began the first Punic war, as 
the wars with Carthage were called. Eome 
formed a navy, and conquered the Cartha- 
ginians at sea in two separate engagements^ 
(260 and 256 B. C.,) and then sent her troops 
into Africa to subdue the city of Carthage. 

Questions. — 10. How did the wars with Carthage 
originate ? What were the first steps taken by Rome ? 



68 ROME. 

11. "Rci^ulus commanded the Eoman forces. 
An enormous serpent, one hundred and twenty- 
feet long, arrested the progress of his army 
for a time, and was only subdued and killed 
by hurling against it, with machinery, large 
rocks. Regulus defeated the Carthaginian 
army, and took a city now called Tunis, but 
was in turn completely routed, 255 B. C. He 
was sent to Home by the Carthaginians to 
obtain an exchange of prisoners, with the 
understanding that if his mission failed he 
should return. By his own advice the Eo- 
mans rejected the request. In fulfilment of 
his promise, Regulus courageously returned to 
Carthage, where he was put to death with 
much cruelty. The Carthaginians continued 
to be successful until their encounter with a 
Eoman arm}^ under the consul Lutatius. They 
were compelled by him to sue for peace, one 
of the terms of the treaty being that they 
should evacuate Sicily. Thus, after twenty- 
three years of continued hostilities, ended the 
first Punic war, 241 B. C. 

12. All Sicily, except the dominions of Hiero, 
now fell under the Eoman yoke. The Eomans 
acquired also the island of Sardinia, Illyricum 



Questions. — 11. What events followed the entering 
of the Roman army into Africa? How was the war 
brought to an o.nd? 



ROME, 69 

on the Adriatic Sea, north of Macedon, and 
Northern Italy, as far as the Alps. Peace 
now reigned, in sign of which the temple of 
Janus was closed for the first time since the 
days of Numa Pompilius, but it did not long re- 
main so. Meanwhile, Carthage was advancing 
in power by her conquests over neighboring 
African states, and in Spain, where Hannibal 
was in command. He was the son of Hamil- 
car, the Carthaginian general defeated in the 
first Punic war. 

13. Hannibal had sworn to his father per- 
petual enmity against the Eomans, and was 
well inclined to keep his vow. He advanced 
from Spain into Italy, 218 B. C. Thus began 
the second Punic war, twenty-three years 
after the close of the first. The Eoman troops 
were defeated by Hannibal four times within 
two years, the last battle being at Cannte, 216 
B. C. This was the worst defeat the Eomans 
had ever yet suifered. Their loss, according 
to the most reliable account, was seventy 
thousand. 

14. The Eomans, notwithstanding these re- 
verses, were able to punish the Capuans, who 
had abandoned them for Hannibal, and to send 

Questions. — 12. What advance were the Romans 
making at this time ? The Carthaginians ? 13. What 
about the second Punic war ? The first battles ? 



70 EOME. 

troops to Spain. Here they were successful 
for a time, but were afterwards defeated by 
Asdrubal, brother of Hannibal. The Syra- 
cusans, who, after the death of King Hiero, had 
imitated the example of Capua, met with a 
like chastisement, and the Eoraans remained 
masters of the whole of Sicily, 212 B. C. 

15. Asdrubal, after his victories in Spain, 
endeavored to join his brother Hannibal in 
Italy, but was defeated on the way at Placen- 
tia, in Northern Italy. Meanwhile, Publius 
Scipio, the son of a Scipio who, with his bro- 
ther, had been defeated and killed in Spain by 
the Carthaginians, succeeded in driving them 
out of that country, and then sailed for Africa. 
Here he met with such success that Hannibal 
was hastily recalled from Italy to defend his 
own country. At the battle of Zama the Car- 
thaginian forces led b}^ him were entirely de- 
feated, and an end was thus put to the second 
Punic war, after it had lasted sixteen years, 
201 B. C. 

16. Scipio, on his return to Eome, received, 
together with the usual magnificent entry 
granted by his countrymen to their successful 
generals, the title of Africanus, by which he 
is known in history. Some years after, his 

Questions. — 14, What were the Romans doing mean- 
while? 15. What events brought about the end of the 
second Punic war? 



EOME. 71 

brother Lucius obtained a similar title, Asia- 
ticus, on account of his victories in Asia. 
Even while the late war with Carthage was 
in progress, Macedonia, instigated by Hanni- 
bal, had joined an alliance against Eome. As 
soon as the close of the war in Africa left the 
Eoman troops at liberty to pursue their con- 
quests elsewhere, they therefore invaded Mace- 
donia and defeated Philip, its king, the succes- 
sor of Antigonus Doto, 197 B. C. The Eomans, 
however, generously restored the Macedonians 
their kingdom on the spot. 

17. Syria, a kingdom formed a century be- 
fore out of a part of the empire of Alexander 
the Great, began to overshadow with its power 
the whole of Asia Minor. Some of the states 
threatened by it called in the Komans to their 
protection. Hostilities thus, arose between 
Eome and Syria, which were fanned by Hanni- 
bal, who was at this time present in person in 
Syria. The armies met at Magnesia, on or 
near the Syrian coast, and the contest proved 
fatal to the fortunes of the Syrian king, Anti- 
ochus the G-reat. He was obliged to surren- 
der to the king of Pergamos, an ally of the 
Eomans, a large part of his dominions, 190 
B. C. This was the victory that gave Scipio 



Questions. — 16. What honors did the Scipios obtain? 
What were the occurrences in Macedonia ? 17. In ^yria? 



72 BOMB. 

Asiaticus his title. The Eomans afterwards 
gained all this territor3^ The luxury that 
prevailed there led the way to the final cor- 
ruption of that people. Seven years after the 
battle of Magnesia, Hannibal was at the court 
of the neighboring king of Bithynia, assisting 
him against the king of Pergamos. Hearing 
of a plot, on the part of his ungrateful host, to 
deliver him to the Eomans, Hannibal, to es- 
cape this fate, ended his life by poison, aged 
sixty-four years. 

18. The hostile attitude of Macedonia to- 
wards Eome again brought upon her the Eo- 
man legions. The famous Macedonian pha- 
lanx, with its long line of pikemen, protected 
by their bucklers, disconcerted for a time the 
Eoman commander, Paulus jEmilius; but, 
finding means to break through it, the enemy 
were defeated at Pydna, 148 B. C. Macedonia 
thereafter passed under the sway of the Eo- 
mans, and became a province of their empire. 

19. Carthage, in her continued prosperity 
and with her population of seven hundred 
thousand inhabitants, revived the jealousj^ of 
her rival, Eome. A pretext was found by the 
latter for a third war, after an interval of fifty 
years from the close of the second. Scipio 

Questions. — 17. What became of Hannibal ? 18. De- 
scribe the events in Macedonia. 19. Tell us about the 
third Punic war. What is said of Carthage ? 



ROME. 7S 

iEmilianus, son of ^milius the conqueror of 
Macedonia, held command of the Eoman army. 
After an obstinate contest of three years, the 
Eomans captured Carthage, and utterly de- 
stroyed this magnificent city, after it had ex- 
isted seven hundred years, 146 B. C. Carthage 
was rebuilt a hundred years after by the Eo- 
man emperors, and flourished until the time 
of the Saracens, in the seventh century, who 
again laid it in ruins. Hardly a trace of it is 
now to be recognized. 

20. The same year witnessed the final sub- 
jugation of the Greeks. The Achaean League 
had brought upon itself the wrath of Eome. 
The opposing forces met near Corinth; the 
Grecians were routed, and Corinth, their capi- 

ttal, was taken and destroyed. By this final 
blow, all Greece came under the dominion of 
Home, and was known henceforward only as 
a province of the empire, under the title of 
Achaia. 146 B. C. 

21. Although the Eomans had driven the 
Carthaginians out of Spain, they had not 
entirely subdued the native tribes. The Lusi- 
tanians, a people inhabiting what is now Por- 
tugal, under their brave leader, Yiriathus, 
^ftered a successful resistance for ten years. 

Questions. —20. What country was next subjugated 
py the Romans? 21. What is said of the native tribes 
n Spain ? The Lusitanians ? 
7 



74 ROME. I 

The "Romans, by contriving the assassination j 
of Viriatlius, put an end to the war, 140 B. C. [ 
The Niiniantians, of the North of Spain, still 
proved refractory, and gained so many suc- 
cesses that Scipio jEmilianus, the conqueror 
of Carthage, now consul, was obliged to repair 
thither. The city of Numantia was taken and 
destroyed, and the sway of the Eomans firmly 
established in the peninsula, 133 B. C. j 

22. In the interest of the poorer classes, || 
Tiberius Gracchus, one of the tribunes, endeav- il 
ored to revive an" old statute called the Agra- j; 
rian Law, the effect of w^hich would have been i 
to diminish the possessions of great landed jj 
proprietors, and distribute the lands anew. It 
The land-owners resisted, and tumults arose, 
in one of which the agitator lost his life, 
133 B. C. His brother Caius, twelve years 
after, in a like office, made the same attempt, 
and met a similar fate. The brothers are 
known in history as the Gracchi. No change 
in the law followed, but a greater bitterness 
arose bet^veen rich and poor. 

23. This bad example of civil discord met 
with frequent imitation afterwards. With the 
increasing possessions of the republic, wealth 



Questions.— 21. What is said of the Numantians ? 

22. Relate the events connected with the Gracchi? 

23. What is said of the declining virtue of the Ro- 
mans? 



EOME. 76 

also flowed in more abundantly, and the rich 
were growing corrupt, while the poor remained 
envious and discontented. In fact, the many- 
noble traits that had distinguished the Eo- 
mans were disappearing. Bribes began to bo 
taken by high officials. Office was eagerly 
sought, for office now enriched its possessor. 
The numerous slaves held by the Romans 
were so oppressed that a large body of them 
in Sicily rose against their masters, and for 
three years held the island, being onlj'- sub- 
dued at last through great bloodshed, 132 
B.C. 

24. Immorality in all forms crept in, and 
divorce, unheard of in the first five hundred 
years of Rome, was now not unusual. It be- 
came more common than it had ever been 
before, to see men use violent and unprincipled 
means, either to gain power or to hold it. 
The people easily followed a leader who flat- 
tered or feasted them. In short, the strength 
of the republic, which, like that of every other 
republic, lay in the virtue of its citizens, be- 
gan to fail it, and the way was being prepared 
for imperialism. The violence to which party 
spirit was carried contributed to this result. 
An illustrious victim of this intolerance was 

Questions. — 23. What is said of the slaves? 24. What 
were other signs of this decline ? What of Scipio ? 



76 ROME. 

foiiiul in Scipio iEmilianus, the conqueror of 
Carthage and of Spain, (sometimes called 
Scipio the Younger.) He was opposed to 
the Agrarian part}^, and was secretly mur- 
dered by its adherents, 129 B. C. 

25. Foreign wars again succeeded. Jugur- | 
tha, heir with -others to the throne of ]^u- | 
midia in Africa, had put to death all the mem- j 
bers of the royal flimily of that kingdom who i 
might lessen his power by dividing it with ! 
him. As this family had been friendly to the \ 
Eomans, the latter declared war against Ju- ! 
gurtha. Marias, originally an obscure soldier, 
but now occupying high military rank, man- 
aged by unfair means to supplant his superior, 
Cecilius Metelliis, in the command of the Eo- 
man army. Marius was himself, however, 
outwitted hy Sylla, his lieutenant, who took 
to himself all the credit of ending the war by 
his capture of Jugurtha, which he effected by 
stratagem, 105 B. C. 

26. This was the origin of the rivalry be- 
tween Marius and Sylla,\vhich was afterwards 
to occasion so many misfortunes to their coun- 
trymen. Jugurtha was starved to death in 
prison. Marius afterwards delivered Eome 
from a dangerous invasion of the Teutones 

Questions. -25. What war arose in Africa ?~Who 
were Marius and Sylla, and what is said of them? 
2G. Continue the subject. 



ROME. 77 

and Cimbri, northern tribes who were ad- 
vancing through G-aul into Italy. He met 
them in Gaul, and first overthrew the Teu- 
tones, and the following year the Cimbri, 101 
B. 0. 

27. An occasion now arose at home that 
required the services of both Marius and Sylla. 
The inhabitants of the Italian states that had 
been subdued at different times by the Eo- 
mans, clamored to be admitted to the rights 
of Roman citizenship. Their claim being re- 
jected, they took up arms to support it. This 
became the Social War, so called. Marius for 
the sixth time obtained the consulship, on the 
plea of this war. Still, in conducting it, Sylla 
eclipsed him in feats of arms. Then Marius 
resigned, and Sylla was appointed consul. 
After three years of warfare, in which three 
hundred thousand Eomans lost their lives, 
and victory declared sometimes for them and 
sometimes for the enem}^, the contest was 
ended by the triumph of the Eomans, 89 B. C. 
They afterwards granted some of the conces- 
sions asked for. 

28. Mithridates, king of Pontus, a state in 
Asia Minor on the Euxine (now Black) Sea, 
provoked the resentment of the Eomans by 

Questions. — 26. What invasion did Marius next pre- 
vent? 27. Tell us about the Social War. The share 
Marius and Sylla took in it. 
7* 



78 ROME. 

his attacks on their allies in that part of the 
world, and by the massacre of a vast number | 
of Italians living in Asia Minor. In his career 
of conquest, he even advanced into Greece. 
Here he was met and defeated, losing all the 
new territory he had acquired, but still allowed 
to retain his kingdom of Pontus, 86 B. C. 

29. When Sylla was leaving Eome to go to I 
this war, Marius entered the city to dispute i 
his power, but Sj-lla returned and drove hina l 
out, putting to death many of his partisans |i 
besides. During Sylla's continued absence in I 
the East, his rival again entered Eome, usurped | 
the civil power, and put to death great num- I 
hers of the friends of Sylla throughout Italy, j 
Then he died, partly from the effect of drink, 
indulged in to quiet an uneasy conscience. His j 
part}-, however, survived. j 

30. These events at home did not force ! 
Sylla to return before his victories were com- | 
pleted. When he did, he found the party of i 
Marius in power, and himself declared a public j 
enemy. To re-enter Eome he was obliged to | 
fight a desperate battle under its walls. He ! 
proved victorious, and thereupon occasioned j 
himself to be declared Dictator. He' now i 



Questions.— 28. What account is given of the first 
Mithridaticwar? 29. What is said of Marius at this 
time ? 30. What is said of Sylla, and of the party of 
Marius in Spain ? 



HOME. 79 

caused torrents of blood to flow by the re- 
venge he took upon the partisans of Marius. 
Strange to say, when he had secured himself 
in power, he resigned his office and retired to 
private life. He died shortly after, from the 
effect of his private excesses, 78 B. C. The 
party of Marius still had supporters outside 
of Eome, those in Spain, under Sertorius, being 
the most formidable. Pompey was sent against 
them and defeated them, the death of their 
leader aiding in this result, 73 B. C. 

31. About this time also another great in- 
surrection of slaves occun-ed. Many of these 
were captives from Thrace, or Gaul, or Ger- 
many, who were kept as gladiators to fight 
for the diversion of the peoi)le. Their leader, 
Spartacus, was a gladiator. He took his 
Btand in a strong position on Mount Vesuvius, 
where one hundred and twenty thousand 
slaves flocked to his standard. He met with 
successes at first, but was finally defeated, and 
himself, with a large portion of his followers, 
put to the sword, 71 B. C. 

32. Mithridates, profiting by the absence of 
the Eoman armies engaged in Spain against 
Sertorius, had again mustered troops and re- 
captured his former possessions. The consul 



Questions. — 31. What great insurrection occurred? 
What was the result ? 32. What were the events of the 
second Mithridatic war? 



80 ROME. 

Lucullus was sent against him and defeated 
him, taking from him now even his own king- 
dom of Pontus. Lucullus will be remembered 
by the young with gratitude, as having intro- ! 
diiced to the rest of the world the cherry-tree, I 
which he found growing at Cerasus in Pontus. |; 
Had not the army refused to go further, Lu- \ 
cullus would have taken possession of Armenia, 
whose king, Tigranes, had assisted Mithri- \ 
dates, and also shared in his defeat, 68 B. C. | 
Six years before, the king of Bithynia, dying ! 
without family, left his kingdom to the Eo- I 
mans. Thus the possessions of Eome in the | 
East began to grow in extent and im])ortance. ! 
83. Mithridates, undisma3^ed by defeat, | 
brought about a third struggle with the Eo- 
mans. Lucullus had retired to private life, 
and Pompey was placed in command. This 
general had just before again distinguished 
himself by sweeping from the Mediterranean 
a vast number of pirates, who infested it in 
every part, threatening even the mouth of the 
Tiber. Tigranes, although the son-in-law of 
Mithridates, refused the latter further assist- 
ance, and for this was confirmed by the Eo- 
mans in his kingdom of Armenia. A former 
ally of Tigranes, however, the king of Syria, 

Questions.— 32. What will Lucullus be remembered 
for? What of Bithynia ? 33. Who conducted the third 
Mithridatic war ? What of the kings of Armenia and 
Syria ? 



EOME. 81 

lost his, which became henceforward a Eoman 
i province. As to Mithridates, his defeat this 
• time M-as final, and he put an end to his life, 
i 64 or 63 B. C. 

34. While Pompey was still in Asia Minor, 
, a dispute arose between two brothers of the 
. Jewish royal family, the descendants of the 
famous Machabees. The Eomans were called 
in to settle the difficulty, and being obliged to 
use force to retain the rightful heir in power, 
took occasion to exact the payment of a tribute 
to them thereafter. Thus an unhappy family 
quarrel prepared the way for the final subju- 
gation of the Jews. Not long after, the Jew- 
ish sceptre was transferred by the Eomans to 
■ the family of a stranger, Herod the Idumsean. 
i This circumstance is worthy of notice, as it 
I was one of the signs predicted by the patriarch 
i'Jacob of the near approach of the Messiah, 
whose birth actually took place before the 
end of Herod's reign. 

35. Pompey returned to Eome in great tri- 
umph, having overcome one who had proved 
I the most obstinate single foe the Eomans had 
ever encountered, and who, in more than 
twenty years of warfare, had made it neces- 

QuESTiONS. — 33. What of Mithridates? 34. What 
took place among the Jews? What important event 
was foreshadowed? 35. What is said of Pompey's 
triumph, &c. 



82 ROME. 

Rary to employ three of the ablest generals of 
Kome against him. By his conquests, Pompey 
doubled the revenues of the republic, and 
brought with him from the East, besides, 
spoils valued at twenty millions of dollars. 

ol). During Pompey's absence, Catiline, an 
ambitious senator, formed a plot to overturn 
the government. His designs were exposed 
by the celebrated orator Cicero, who, being 
elected consul, succeeded in crushing out the 
conspiracy. Catiline fled, but was pursued 
by the Koman armies, and, with many of his 
followers, died fighting bravely, 62 B. C. 
Cicero tliereupon received the title of Father 
of his Country. 

37. The change in the government of Rome, 
to which so many circumstances prepared the 
way, was now at hand. Julius Cassar, a Po- 
man of distinguished family, aspired, lilce Cati- 
line, to the supreme power, but without re- 
solving to use the same violent means. His 
first step was to make a private agreement 
with Pompe}^ and Crassus that they should 
with himself contrive to retain the chief direc- 
tion of affairs in the state. Thus was formed 
what is known as the First Triumvirate, 60 

Questions. — 36. What dangerous conspiracy was dis- 
covered in Rome about this time? 37. What is said of 
the approaching change? Of Julius Caesar and the first 
triumvirate ? 



EOME. 83 

B. C. Although his designs were suspected 
by Cuto and other senators, he succeeded in 
obtaining the consulship ; also the government 
of Gaul for five years as proconsul ; he imme- 
diately set about subduing the whole of that 
country. 

38. The triumvirs made a further agreement 
that Ca3sar should continue in command of 
Gaul for five additional years ; that Spain and 
Africa should be placed under Pompey, and 
Syria under Crassus. These arrangements 
were ratified by the senate and people. Cras- 
sus set out for his province, expecting to carry 
the Eoman arms to the remotest parts of Asia, 
but was miserably defeated by the Parthian s, 
a nation living beyond the Euphrates, and 
killed, 53 B. C. This is the same Crassus who 
had dispersed the bands of Spartacus. He 
was also the richest citizen of Rome, and it 
was partly the desire of adding to his wealth 
that led to his unhapp}^ end. 

39. Meanwhile, Caisar achieved the most ex- 
traordinary triumphs in Gaul, of all which he 
has left us the account in his Commentaries, 
written by himself He not only subdued the 
savage tribes of Gaul, but also those of part 

Questions. — 37. What offices did Caesar obtain? 
38, What was the next division of power among the 
triiimvirs? What is said of Crassus? 39. Relate the 
achievements of Caesar in Gaul. 



S-i ROME. 

of Germany, and even landed an expedition in 
England, and obliged the Britons to pay trib- 
ute. In less than ten years, he conquered 
three hundred nations or tribes, and defeated 
tliree millions of men, of whom one-third were 
slain on the field of battle, and another third 
made captives. Gaul made its final submis- 
sion, 50 B. C. 

40. AVhile these events were in progress, 
Ponipey at Rome was at the head of affairs, 
and by unusual privilege held the consulship 
alone. Crassus being dead, his own power 
was now the only obstacle to the ambitious J 
designs which were entei'tained by Caesar, j 
Pompcy endeavored to oppose his rival, but | 
it was too late. Caesar was advancing from | 
Gaul at the head of his victorious legions, i 
which were devoted to him and to his interests. [ 
He paused for a moment at the Eubicon, the i 
limit of his province, and then boldly passed i 
it, and made his way tow^ards Eome. Pom- | 
pey fled across the Adriatic Sea to Epirus in i 
Greece, and Caesar entered Eome in triumph, | 
49 B. C. I 

41. Pompey's party now represented the i 
cause of the old government, and its followers ; 
in Spain obliged Caesar to leave Rome almost j 

Questions. — 40. What is said of Pompey ? What 
was his course towards Caesar ? What did the latter do ? 
41. What is said of Pompey's party in Spain? 



EOME. 85 

immediately to quell their resistance. After 
a short and successful campaign there, he pro- 
ceeded to the east to attack Pompey in per- 
son. The latter had gathered his armies to- 
gether in Thessaly, the state adjoining Epirus. 
Here Caisar encountered him, and with a force 
one-half as large as his, defeated him on tho 
plains of Pharsalia, 48 B. C. The defeated 
general fled to Egypt, where he was basely 
murdered on landing, by command of the 
Egyptian royal family. 

42. Cffisar had followed Pompey into Egypt; 
on arriving at Alexandria, he learned the 
death of his former friend and late adversary, 
and could not help shfedding tears over the 
ead fate of that truly great man. Ptolemy, 
king of Egypt, and his sister Cleopatra, were 
disputing for the possession of the throne. 
Cassar attempted to reconcile them, and gave 
offence to the king, who in consequence at- 
tacked him. CsDsar, with greatl}^ inferior 
forces, defeated the Egyptians and put them 
to flight. Ptolemy was drowned in the Nile, 
and Cleopatra proclaimed queen of Egypt, 48 
B.C. 

43. The victorious Eoman then passed into 
Asia, where he defeated Pharnaces, the son of 

Questions. — 41. What is said of Pompey in the east? 
Of his fate? 42. What events followed Caesar's entry 
into Egypt ? 
8 



S6 ROME. 

Mithridatcs, who was endeavoring to regain 
the former possessions of his father. So rapid 
was his march, and prompt his success, that 
he expressed his triumph in the Annous words: 
Veni, vidi, vici — " I came, I saw, 1 conquered." 
With equal rapidity he now crossed into 
Africa, and gave the last blow in that coun- 
try to the party of Pompey, at the battle of 
Thapsus, which he gained over the combined 
forces of Cato, Scipio, and Juba, king of Mauri- 
tania, 46 B. C. This Scipio was surnamed 
Metelliis, and was the fi\ther-in-law of Pom- 
pey. All tliree put an end to their lives im- 
mediately after their defeat. 

44. Cffisar returned to Pome to enjoy his 
triumph, and was proclaimed dictator for ten 
years, but was again called to the field in 
Spain. Here, the two sons of Pompey had 
gathered a powerful army. Cicsar met them 
near Munda in the south of Spain, and after 
narrowly escaping defeat, achieved a final vic- 
tory, 45 B. C. 

45. On his return home, he was declared 
Imperafor and perpetual dictator, and received 
other honors. Even religious rites were offered 
to him as to a g^ d. He now gave full sway to 

QuESTiONs._43. Where' did Ccesar go next7~H^ 
did he express the rapidity of his success? What oc- 
curred in Africa? 44. What happened after Caesar's 
return to Home ? 



KOME. 



87 



his ambition, and planned vast schcnics for the 
extcnwion of the Koman empire and his own 
aggrandizement. His enemies abroad had all 
been crushed, but he little suspected that worse 
enemies surrounded him at home. It was 
evident enough that he aspired to the title, as 
ho had alread}^ the power, of a king. A con- 
spiracy was therefore formed against him by- 
sixty persons, senators and citizens of distinc- 
tion, at the head of whom were the praetors 
Cassius and Brutus. They murdered him in 
the senate chamber, 44 B. C. Thus perished, 
in his sixty-fifth year, the greatest genius 
Eome had ever produced. 

40. Mark Anthony, the former colleague of 
Ca)sar in the consulship, aroused the indigna- 
tion of the people against the murderers, who 
then fled the city. But Anthony himself 
aimed to succeed the fallen Caesar in power. 
His plans were defeated by the arrival in 
Eome of Octavius Ca3sar, nephew and adopted 
son of the late dictator, who forced Anthony 
to retire. After a first defeat, Anthony gath- 
ered around him a large force in Gaul, and 
Octavius thought it best to make terms with 
him. Together with Lepidus, a man of wealth, 

Questions.— 45. What honors did Caesar receive 
afterwards? What is said of his enemies, and of their 
conspiracy? What was his end? 46. What course did 
Anthony take ? Who now arrived in Rome ? 



88 EOME. 



but of no great capacity, they then formed 
the second triumvirate, 43 B. C. 

47. After the example of Marius and Sylla, 
the triumvirs drew up lists of persons who 
were obnoxious to one or another of them. 
Among a great number of distinguished per- 
sons pursued and put to death under this pro- 
scription, the most eminent was the great ora- 
tor Cicero, who was sacrificed to the hatred 
of Anthony for having opposed his usurpa- 
tions before the triumvirate was formed. 

48. Brutus and Cassius, in the interests of 
republican liberty, had by this time gathered 
large armies in the east. Octavius and An- 
thony set out against them, and the opposing 
forces met near Philippi on the eastern border 
of Macedonia. Brutus and Cassius were de- 
feated one after the other, and, unable to bear 
tlieir disappointment, put themselves to death, 
like many other illustrious heathens of that 
day, 43 B. C. 

49. Permanent command in the east was 
after this given to Anthony, while Octavius 
retained the west. The latter crushed out 
the last effort at resistance made by the sur- 
vivmg son of Pompey the Great, in a naval 

Questions. -46. How was the second triumvirate 
[r? L w,^^^'''^'^'°'"^^^^"^^« ^^^'^' triumvirs 



ROME. • 89 

battle fought off the coasts of Sicily, 36 B. C. 
After this he made a pretext for setting aside 
Lejoidus, and joining his forces to his own; 
thus dividing the pow^r with Anthony alone. 
His vast armies, made up of the most discord- 
ant materials, he was obliged to keep em- 
ployed in expeditions against the tribes on 
the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. 

50. Meanwhile, Anthony in the east met 
with failures and repulses in invading the ter- 
ritory of the Parthians. These events, in addi- 
tion to his notorious misconduct in connection 
with Cleopatra, on whose account he had put 
away his wife, the sister of Octavius, caused 
his downfall. Octavius obtained from the 
senate without any difficulty a decree strip- 
ping Anthony of all power, and declaring 
Cleopatra an enemy to Rome. 

51. Anthony resolved to sustain himself, 
and therefore massed his armies in Acarnania, 
a province of Greece on w^hat is now the Gulf 
of Epirus. His fleet he assembled off the 
promontory of Aetium, in view of his own, and 
indeed of the opposing army also. He resolved 
to give battle first with his fleet. While the 

Questions. — 49. What is said of Octavius and the 
Bon of Pompey ? OfLepidus? Of the armies of Octavius? 
50. What of Anthony in the east? His failures and mis- 
conduct? Of the consequences? 51. What did Anthony 
do next ? 

8* 



90 ROME. 

conflict was in progress, Cleopatra's ship was 
seen to move off under full sail for Egypt; 
the infatuated Anthony, forgetting his honor, 
followed her with a number of his vessels. 
The consequence was that after a short con- 
test the remainder of the fleet and the whole 
of the army of Anthony surrendered to Oc- 
tavius, leaving to him the undivided mastery 
of the Koman empire, the beginning of which 
as an empire usually dates from the battle of 
Actium, 31 B. C. 

52. Anthony was pursued into Egypt, where 
he killed himself on the approach of his rival. 
Cleopatra, to escape being taken to grace the 
triumph of the conqueror, followed his ex- 
ample. By the death of Cleopatra an end was 
was put to the second kingdom of Egypt, after 
it had endured for three hundred years. Egypt 
was then made one of the provinces of the Eo- 
man empire, 30 B. C. 

53. Octavius now enjoyed undisputed sway, 
and his authority was cheerfully recognized 
wherever the Eoman arms had conquered obe- 
dience. The senate confirmed him in power, 
and on his return from Egypt saluted him as 

Questions. —51. Describe the events of the battle of 
Actium. What followed? 62. What circumstances led 
to the suicide of Anthony and Cleopatra? What is said 
of the kingdom of Egypt? 53. Describe the successful 
position of Octavius. 



DISCOVERY OF AMERICA. 91 

Augustus, the name b}^ which he is best known to 
us. Augustus still preserved the outward forms 
of republican government, but he was really a 
king; indeed the founder of a race of monarchs. 
54. Peace now prevailed everywhere, and 
the jStting moment had arrived for the advent 
of the Prince of Peace. The wide extent of 
the Eoman empire, and the facility existing 
of communicating M'ith all parts of it, were 
means Grod had prepared for the more rapid 
extension of His own kingdom. Christ, our 
Lord, was born in the latter j^art of the reign 
of Augustus, at Bethlehem in Judea. 



MODERN HISTORY, 



CHAPTER X. 

Discovery of America. 

1. Whilst studying the history of other 
countries, we should be well acquainted with 
that of our own. It would be a great shame 
for our young readers if, whilst they were able 
to relate all the events that took place in 

Questions. —54. What is said of peace ? What most 
important event occurred during the reign of Augustus? 
— 1. Whilst studying the history of other countries, 
what is said of our own history ? 



92 DISCOVERY OF AMERICA. 

Greece and Eome, they were ignorant of the 
history of their own country; if, while able to 
recount the battles of Alexander, Caesar, and 
Pompey, they were ignorant of those fought 
in their own country, by which our happiness 
and freedom were secured. 

2. America, the favored country in which 
we live, was discovered by Christopher Colum- 
bus. For centuries this country was unknown 
to the people of the old world. There was 
another very rich country situated to the 
east of Europe, called the East Indies. The 
people of Europe frequently went to that 
country, and obtained silk, gold, and many 
other valuable articles. But the route by 
which they used to go to the East Indies was 
very long, and at the same time difficult and 
expensive; they therefore desired to find a 
shorter and less dangerous one. 

3. At that time they were obliged to go to 
the Indies by crossing Egypt and passing 
through the Eed Sea, and then sailing across 
the Indian Ocean. In order to obtain an 
easier route, they were endeavoring to find a 
passage by sailing along the western coast of 

Questions. — 2. By whom was America discovered? 
"Wliat. other country was known ? What did the people 
of Europe do ? What is said of the route ? 3. At that 
time how did they go to the Indies? What were they 
endeavoring to find ? 



DISCOVERY OF AMERICA. 93 

Africa, until they reached the southern part, 
and then sailing northeast. 

4. While in pursuit of this object, it entered 
the mind of Columbus that a more direct pas- 
sage might be found across the Atlantic Ocean. 
Columbus was a learned man, and well skilled 
in navigation, having been engaged in a sea- 
faring life from an early age. He made several 
voyages across the Mediterranean Sea, and 
sailed to the seas north of Europe. There are 
many striking incidents in his life, from which 
we select the following. 

5. On one occasion, as he was cruising near 
the coast of Portugal, the vessel in which he 
sailed took fire. The blaze spread from sail 
to sail, and in a few moments the whole ves- 
sel was enveloped in flames. To save them- 
selves from this devouring element, Columbus 
and his companions were obliged to leap into 
the sea. They were six miles from land, and 
all perished except Columbus. He was an ex- 
cellent swimmer, and with the assistance of an 

Questions. — 4. While in pursuit of this object, what 
entered the mind of Columbus? What is said of Colum- 
bus ? What voyages did he make ? 5. On one occasion, 
what happened him ? To save himself, what did he do ? 
How did Columbus reach the land ? 



9-i DISCOVERY OF AMERICA. 

oar, which he found floating in the water, he 
reached the Land. 

G. After many adventures, he arrived at Lis- 
bon, where he married the daughter of an emi- 
nent navigator. He still followed the sea, and 
made several voyages to the Madeira islands, 
which had been discovered shortly before that 
time. In the mean time, his mind was actively 
bent on finding a passage to the East Indies. 
From the figure of the earth, which he sup- 
posed to be round, he concluded that he might 
reach the Indies by sailing westwardly from 
Europe. 

7. Being convinced of this theory, he was 
anxious to test it by experiment. He there- 
fore applied for assistance to the senate of his 
native country, Genoa, but to his great morti- 
fication that body regarded his theory as ab- 
surd, and refused to assist him. 

8. He next applied to the king of Portugal, 
who listened attentively to his plans, and then 
secretly sent a vessel on a voyage of discovery, 
with the hope of being able to accomplish the 
great object of Columbus. But the captain of 

Questions. — 6. Where did Columbus arrive? What 
is said of him afterwards ? Meantime what is said of his 
plans ? From the figure of the earth what was concluded? 
7. Where did he apply for assistance ? What was the 
result ? 8. Where did he next apply ? What did the king 
do ? What was the result? 



DISCOVERY OF AMERICA. 95 

the vessel was a man without experience, and 
soon returned without having made any dis- 
co ver}^ 

9. Columbus, disgusted with this base arti- 
fice, sent his brother to solicit the aid of the 
king of England; his brother, however, being 
taken by pirates, did not reach England for 
several years. In the mean time, Columbus ap- 
plied to Ferdinand and Isabella, the king and 
queen of Spain. Here he met with a kind 
reception, and his project received a favorable 
hearing. 

10. But the counsellors of the king had lit- 
tle experience in naval science, and they could 
not appreciate the theory of Columbus. Some 
maintained that he could not be wiser than 
all those who lived before him; others con- 
cluded that, if the world were round, he 
would find a constant and rapid descent on 
the other side, and his vessel would either fall 
off, or, at all events, could never return to 
Europe. 

11. Such were the weak objections to the 
theory of Columbus: the king, however, 
deemed them sufficiently strong to induce him 

Questions. — 9. Where did Columbus send his bro- 
ther? To whom did he next apply? 10. What is said 
of the counsellors of the king ? 11. What is said of ob- 
jections to the theory of Columbus ? 



96 DISCOVERY OF AMERICA. 

to reject the proposals of Columbus, and to 
refuse to aid him in his great designs. 

12. Columbus remained five years in Spain, 
during which time he solicited, but in vain, 
the patronage of the Spanish sovereigns. He 
was about to withdraw in despair, when a 
change took place in his favor. Isabella, the 
consort of Ferdinand, \vas an amiable and 
virtuous woman; she considered the glory- 
that would arise from the accomplishment of 
80 great an enterprise; she was, moreover, 
desirous of spreading the Christian religion, 
by converting the inhabitants of these dis- 
tant regions. She therefore resolved to assist 
Columbus. 

13. But the long war which the Spaniards 
had, previously to that time, carried on with 
the Moors, left her without the means of ac- 
complishing this noble design. This being 
the state of affairs, she resolved to pledge her 
crown and jewels, in order to raise the amount 
necessary to defray the expenses of the expe- 
dition. From this embarrassment, however, 
she was happily relieved by two Spanish noble- 
men, who generously advanced the required 
sum. 

Questions. — 12. How long did Columbus remain in 
Spain? What is said of Isabella? 13. What did she 
resolve ? How was she relieved ? 



DISCOVERY OF AMERICA 97 

14. Without delay, a small fleet of three 
vessels was made ready for sea, and Columbus 
was appointed commander of the expedition. 
On the 3d of August, in the year 1492, Colum- 
bus set sail from Palos, a port of Spain. 

15. He directed his course to the Canary 
Islands, where he remained a short time re- 
pairing his vessels, and then, taking a west- 
wardly direction, he stretched forth upon the 
bosom of the unknown deep. In a short time 
the Spaniards lost sight of land; they could 
see nothing but water around them, and the 
blue sky above their heads. They were at 
length seized with fear; they thought they 
should never again see land; and in this state 
of mind they entreated Columbus to return to 
Spain. 

16. Columbus at first endeavored to calm 
their fears and silence their murmurs by gen- 
tle words and promises of great rewards; but 
finding that they only increased in their clam- 
ors, he took a decided stand, and told them 
that the expedition had been sent by the^ 
sovereigns of Spain, to find a passage to the 
Indies, and, with the blessing of heaven, he 

Questions. — 14. What is said of the expedition? 
15. Where did Columbus direct his course? What is 
said of the Spaniards ? 16. What was the conduct of 
Columbus ? 
9 



98 DISCOVERY OF AMERICA. 

was determined to persevere until he should 
acconiplisb the enterprise. 

17. In their great anxiety to accomplish the 
object of the voyage, the Spanish mariners 
often thought they beheld some distant shore, 
and tlie joyful sound of land, land, was fre- 
quently heard; but as they advanced, these 
delusive bopes were dispelled, and the fancied 
land disappeared from their view. 

18. Every evening the crews of the different 
vessels assembled upon deck, and as the sun 
disappeared behind the western waters, they 
chanted the Salve Begina, in honor of the 
Blessed Virgin, under whose patronage they 
sailed. Thus, surrounded by a thousand dan- 
gers, upon the bosom of the vast Atlantic, and 
far distant from home and kindred, they placed 
themselves under the protection of heaven, 
and sought consolation in the practice of their 
religion. 

19. Columbus was almost constantly on deck 
overseeing every thing himself He carefully 
watched every change in the appearance of the 
sky, and noted every difference in the tem- 
perature of the weather. For some days the 
weather had seemed more mild than usual. 

Questions. — 17. What is said of their hopes and dis- 
appointments ? 18. What did they do every evening? 
What protection did they seek? 19. What is said of 
Columbus ? For some days how did the weather seem ? 



DISCOVERY OF AMERICA. 99 

and the sounding-line had touched the bottom. 
Birds of various phimage were seen flying 
about the ships, and often resting upon them. 
Reeds, and different kinds of weeds, were ob- 
served floating in the water. From all these 
signs, Columbus concluded that land was not 
far distant. 

20. One night, while standing in the forecas- 
tle of his vessel, he beheld a light carried 
about from place to place, and shortly after 
midnight the joyful sound of land was heard 
from the crew of the Pinta. From this mo- 
ment until the return of day, all on board 
were held in the deepest suspense; but, as the 
morning dawned, their doubts were removed, 
a beautiful island presenting itself to their 
view. 

21. The crew of the Pinta immediately 
broke forth into a hymn of thanksgiving to 
God, in which they were joined by the crews 
of the other vessels; and as the notes of the 
anthem were wafted gently upon the morning 
air, tears of joy gushed from the eyes of those 
rough seamen. This office of gratitude to 
heaven was followed by an act of reparation 
to their commander; they threw themselves 

Questions. — 19. What is said of birds, reeds, &c. ? 
From these what did Columbus conclude ? 20. What is 
Baid of the discovery of land? 21. What did the crew 
of the Pinta do ? What act of reparation followed ? 



100 DISCOVERY OF AMERICA. 

at his feet, they kissed his hand, and in the 
humblest manner asked his forgiveness for 
their rashness and disobedience. 

22. On the 11th of October, in the year 1492, 
Columbus, in a rich dress, and with a drawn 
sword in his hand, landed upon the shores of 
the 'New World. His companions immedi- 
ately followed, and falling upon their knees, 
kissed the ground with tears of joy and grati- 
tude. They next erected a cross, and kneel- 

^ing down, returned solemn thanks to God, 
whose benign hand had guided them safely 
through a thousand dangers, and had con- 
ducted their voyage to so happy an issue. 

23. They then took possession of the coun- 
try, in the name of the king and queen of 
Spain. Upon landing, the Spaniards found 
the country inhabited by a race of people 
differing from any" they bad ever before seen. 
They were of a dark copper color, without 
beards, and their hair flowed loosely upon 
their shoulders. The natives were equally 
surprised at the appearance of the Spaniards, 
whom they regarded as the children of their 
god, the sun ; they supposed the ships were a 

Questions, — 22. On the 11th of October what did 
Columbus do ? What did his companions do ? 23. For 
whom did they take possession of the country ? What 
is said of the natives ? What did they suppose the ships 
to be? 



DISCOVERY OF AMERICA. 101 

species of animals, with eyes of lightnlDg and 
voices of thunder. 

24. The first land discovered by Colunabus 
was one of the Bahama islands, called by him 
San Salvador, now known as Cat Island. He 
afterwards discovered Cuba and Haj^ti, to 
which he gave the name of Hispaniola. As 
Columbus had reached these islands by a west- 
ern passage, he believed them not far distant 
from India; he therefore styled them the 
West Indies, and the inhabitants were called 
Indians, a name which they have retained to 
the present time. 

25. Columbus, after spending some time in 
exploring the country, and having collected a 
quantity of gold, prepared to return to Spain. 
During the voyage his little fleet encountered 
many dangers; a violent storm raged for 
fifteen days, and every moment threatened 
instant destruction to the vessels. 

26. While the storm lasted, Columbus wrote 
a short account of his voyage and discoveries, 
and enclosed it in a cake of wax; this he 
placed in a cask, and cast it into the sea, with 
a hope that it might fall into the hands of 

Questions. — 24. What land was first discovered? 
What did Columbus afterwards discover? What did he 
call the country? The inhabitants? 25. What did 
Columbus do? During the voyage what happened? 
26. While the storm lasted what did Columbus do ? 
9* 



102 DISCOVERY OF AMERICA. 

Bomc navigator, and thus preserve to the 
world the benefit of his discoveries. The 
storm however abated, and on the 15th of 
May, in the year 1493, after an absence of 
about seven months, he reached the port of 
Palos, from which he had sailed. 

27. He was received with the loudest accla- 
mations by the people, who gazed with aston- 
ishment on the gold and the many curiosities 
which he had brought from the New World. 
From Palos he went to Barcelona, where he 
was kindly received by Ferdinand and Isa- 
bella. They listened to his adventures with 
the deepest interest. They asked many ques- 
tions concerning the countrj^ he had discov- 
ered, and viewed, with delight and astonish- 
ment, the treasures he had brought. 

28. Columbus made three other voj^ages to 
the New World, during which he visited many 
of the AVest India islands, and in his third voy- 
age he discovered the continent, and touched 
at several places in the northern part of South 
America. But his success and the many 
marks of respect shown him by the king, ex- 

QuESTiONS. — 26. What port did Columbus reach? 
27. How was he received ? From Palos where did he 
go? How did they listen to him, &c. ? 28. How many 
voyages did Columbus make ? In which did he discover 
the continent? What is said of his success, &c. ? 



DISCOVERY OF AMERICA. 103 

cited against him the jealousy of the Spanish 
courtiers. 

29. Tliey circulated against him many false 
and groundless charges, in consequence of 
which he was deprived of the government of 
Hispaniola, and sent home in chains. The 
captain of the vessel in which he returned, 
through respect for his illustrious captive, 
oifered to release him from his confinement. 
But the venerable Columbus replied: "No, I 
wear these chains in consequence of an order 
from their majesties, the rulers of Spain. 
They will find me as obedient in this as in 
every other injunction. By their command I 
have been confined, and their command alone 
shall set me at liberty." 

30. On his return to Spain, a prisoner and 
in chains, the voice of indignation was heard 
from every quarter. The king himself seemed 
to feel a momentary remorse; he ordered 
Columbus to be set at liberty, but ungratefully 
retained him in Spain, until he had appointed 
another person governor of Hispaniola. 

31. Columbus never forgot this unjust treat- 
ment; during the remainder of bis life, he 
carried about with him the chains with which 



Questions. — 29. What injuries did Columbus suffer? 
What did the captain offer ? What did Columbus reply? 
30. On his return to Spain, what is said? What did 
the king order? 31. What is said of Columbus ? 



lO-i DISCOVERY OF AMERICA. 

he had been bound, and gave orders that they 
should be buried with him in his grave. His 
spirit of enterprise was not subdued ; he under- 
took a fourth voyage to the JSTew World, dur- 
ing which he was shipwrecked on the isle of 
Jamaica; and after enduring a variety of dan- 
gers and sufferings, returned to Spain. 

32. He died shortly after his return, at 
Yalladolid, in the sixty-fifth year of his age. 
His last moments were devoted to prayer, and 
to the reception of the rites of that religion 
which he had cherished and practised during 
his life ; and his last words were those of the 
Eoyal Prophet : Into thy hands, Lord, 1 com- 
mend my spirit 



CHAPTER XI. I 

PiSCOVERIES MADE BY OTHER NAVIGATORS. ' 

i 

1. Although Columbus discovered the New { 
World, ho has been unjustly deprived of the > 
honor of associating his name with the coun- i 
try he discovered. In the year 1499, Ameri- ' 

Questions. — 31. What other voyage did Columbus I 

undertake? 32. Where did he die? What is said of j 

his last moments? What were his last words? — 1. Of | 

what was Columbus deprived? I 



DISCOVERY OF AMERICA. 105 

ens Yespucins, a native of Florence, made a 
voyage to the Western World, and discovered 
a part of South America. On his return to 
Spain, he published an account of his voyage, 
and claimed the honor of having been the first 
to discover the main land; and thus from 
Americus, the continent gradually received 
the name of America. 

2. In the year 1497, John Cabot, under a 
commission from Henry YII. of England, 
sailed on a voyage of discovery, and discov- 
ered the continent of North America a year 
before the main land of South America had 
been discovered by Columbus. His son, Sebas- 
tian, the next year sailed southward along the 
coast as far the Chesapeake Bay, erected 
crosses at various points as he passed, and 
took possession of the country in the name of 
the king of England. 

3. In the year 1519, Magellan, a Portuguese 
navigator, then in the service of Spain, sailed 
to the New World, on a voyage of discovery. 
He passed around the coast of South Amer- 
ica, and sailed through the straits which now 



Questions. — 1. In 1499, who made a voyage to the 
Western World ? On his return, what did he do ? From 
whom did the country receive its name? 2. In 1497, 
what did Cabot discover? What did he do further? 
3. What is said of Magellan? What voyages did he 
make? 



106 AMERICA. 

bear his name, and entered the Pacific ocean. 
Magellan lost his life on one of the Philippine 
islands, but his men proceeded on their voy- 
age, and sailed around the globe. 



CHAPTEE XII. 



The Discovery and Conquest of Mexico 
BY Hernando Cortez. 

1. At an early period after the discovery 
of America, the Spaniards were apprised of 
the existence of the rich and powerful empire 
of Mexico. The governor of Cuba, having 
conceived the design of subjugating Mexico to 
the power of Spain, fitted out a small fleet for 
that purpose, and placed it under the com- 
mand of Hernando Cortez. On the 10th of 
January, 1519, Cortez sailed from Cuba with 
eleven small vessels, having on board six 
hundred men, sixteen horses, six pieces of 
artillery, and a few muskets. As soon as he 
reached the continent, he proclaimed himself 
independent of the governor of Cuba, (who 

Questions. — 3. Where did Magellan lose his life ? — 
1. What is said of Mexico at an early period ? What 
did the governor of Cuba do ? On the 10th of January, 
1519, what did Cortez do ? As soon as he reached the 
continent, what did he do ? 



CONQUEST OP MEXICO. 107 

had already revoked the commission intrusted 
to him,) and accountable to none but the mon- 
arch of Spain. 

2. Cortez laid the foundation of the colony 
of Yera Cruz, on the site where the present 
city of that name stands; and the better to 
inspire his men in their arduous undertaking, 
by cutting off all hope of returning, he caused 
all his vessels to be burned on the coast. He 
next directed his march to the city of Mex- 
ico, the capital of the empire, then called Te- 
nochtitlan. The country was under the do- 
minion of Montezuma, a sovereign who ruled 
with despotic sway. Many of his subjects 
were dissatisfied with his government, and 
only waited for an opportunity to revolt 
against it. They regarded Cortez, as he 
passed through the country, as a deliverer, 
entered into an alliance with him, and sup- 
plied him with provisions. 

3. Cortez met with but little opposition, 
until he arrived at Tlascala. The inhabitants 
of this republic, which was independent of 
Montezuma, united to oppose his progress. 
A number of battles were fought, in which 



Questions. —2. What did Cortez next do? What 
did he do with his vessels? Where did he then direct 
his inarch ? Under whose dominion was the country ? 
What is said of his subjects? How did they regard 
Cortez ? 3. What is said of Cortez ? 



108 AMERICA. 

many of the Tlascalans were slain ; bnt at 

length, finding themselves unable to cope with | 

the superior skill and valor of the Spaniards ' 

the}^ consented to treat with them as friends, j 

and from that time they became their most ^ 

faithful allies. j 

4. In the mean time, Montezuma was in- i 

formed that strangers had entered the coun- j 

try, and that they were on their way to the 

capital. At first, the emperor sent a messen- i 

ger to inquire why he and his followers had ^ 

entered his dominions. Cortez replied, that i 

he could only deliver his answer to the mon- i 

arch himself, and persisted in going on to the i 

capital. To this Montezuma would not con- ' 

sent, and despatched another messenger for- | 

bidding him to approach any nearer; but at 

the same time he sent to Cortez magnificent i 

presents. I 

5. After a march of several days, the Span- | 

iards arrived at the city of Tezcuco, near a ! 

lake of the same name, where they were i 

kindly received by the inhabitants. Leaving j 

this city, Cortez led his little army towards | 

the capital of the Mexican empire. In the I 

— _ ^ 

Questions. -3. What is said of the inhabitants of this I 

proTince ? What followed, and what did the Tlascalans 1 

do? 4. In the mean time, what is said of Montezuma? I 

What did he first do? What did Cortez reply? What I 
foUowed ? 6. Where did the Spaniards arrive ? 



CONQUEST OF MEXICO. 109 

middle of a beautiful valley of great extent, 
stood the vast and populous city of Mexico. 
It contained at that time, according to some 
historians, about sixty thousand houses, with 
a proportionate number of inhabitants. 

6. The city was built in the middle of a 
lake, but connected with the main land by 
bridges; it was well fortified, and adorned 
with a number of temples, palaces, and other 
pubUc buildings. As the Spaniards approached 
the city, they were met at a distance by thou- 
sands of the inhabitants, who gazed in aston- 
ishment on the strangers. Shortly they be- 
held a company of about two hundred men, 
richly dressed; these were the emperor's at- 
tendants; and, finally, Montezuma himself 
appeared. He w^as seated upon a chair of 
gold, and carried on the shoulders of four 
men, while others supported over him a 
canopy made of colored feathers. He was 
dressed in a robe of fine cotton, richly orna- 
mented with gold and silver, and wore on his 
head a crown of gold. 

7. Cortez and Montezuma met, and saluted 
each other with the most profound respect, 
and, after some ceremonies, entered the city 

Questions. — 5. Describe the city of Mexico. 6. Where 

was the city built? What more is said of it? How 

were the Spaniards met ? Describe the appearance of 

Montezuma. 7. What is said of the meeting with Cortez? 

10 



110 AMERICA. 

together. A large palace was assigned to 
Cortez and his troops, and they were abund- 
antly supplied with provisions. 

8. At the time the Spaniards first visited 
Mexico, the people were entirely ignorant of 
the true God, and worshipped numerous idols 
or false gods. To these they erected splendid 
temples, which were attended by a multitude 
of priests. They sacrificed thousands of hu- 
man victims to their deities. These victims 
were generally prisoners taken in war; the 
priests could put them to death at any time, 
in honor of the gods. 

9. The Spaniards had not remained long in 
the city before an attack was made by a Mexi- 
can chieftain on their colony at Vera Cruz. 
!No sooner was Cortez informed of this cir- 
cumstance, than he formed the bold and dan- 
gerous design of arresting Montezuma himself. 
Taking with him a small band of resolute men, 
he entered the imperial palace, and compelled 
the monarch to return with him to his resi- 
dence. 

10. While these things were going on in the 
city of Mexico, Cortez was informed that the 
governor of Cuba had despatched a fleet of 

Questions. — 8. At the time the Spaniards visited 
Mexico, what is said of the religion of the people ? What 
did they sacrifice? What is said of these victims? 
9. What is said of the Spaniards ? What did Cortez do ? 



CONQUEST OF MEXICO. Ill 

eighteen ships and nine hundred men, to arrest 
himself and his companions as rebels. This 
intelligence rendered his situation extremely 
perplexing. He knew that if he withdrew his 
forces entirely from the city, he should lose 
all the advantages he had gained: on the 
other hand, if he did not oppose the Spaniards 
who were sent against him, he foresaw that 
his own life, and the lives of his followers, 
were in the most imminent danger. 

11. He therefore resolved to adopt a middle 
course. Leaving one hundred and fifty men 
in the city, under the command of Alvarado, 
he set out with two hundred and fifty others 
to meet his new opponents. Never was an 
enterprise more successfully conducted. He 
surprised the nine hundred Spaniards, and 
took them prisoners, with their general, Nar- 
vaez, and having taken the vanquished into 
his own service, returned in triumph to Mex- 
ico. 

12. On his return, he found that the Mexi- 
cans had broken out into open insurrection ; 
they surrounded the palace in which the Span- 
iards resided, and threatened their destruc- 

QuESTiONS. — 10. While these things were going on, 
of what was Cortez informed ? What is said of the situa- 
tion of Cortez ? 11. What did he resolve ? What did he 
do with regard to the nine hundred Spaniards? 12. On 
his return what did he find? 



112 AMERICA. 

tion. On one of these occasions, Montezuma 
appeared on the walls, with a view to check 
the fury of the populace. When the people 
saw him they were silent, and bowed to the 
earth with the deepest reverence. He told 
them that the Spaniards were his friends, and 
ordered them to retire peacefully to their 
homes. This order was received with indig- 
nation by the multitude; at first a low mur- 
mur was heard; it grew louder and louder, 
until at length it burst forth into an angry 
shout; a shower of darts and stones were cast 
upon the walls, and the monarch fell wounded 
to the ground. He was carried into the castle, 
refused to take nourishment, and died m a 
few days. 

13. Immediately after his death, Quetlavaca 
succeeded to the throne. Under this mon- 
arch the attack on the Spaniards was renewed 
with redoubled fury. A large body of Mexi- 
cans had assembled on the top of a high tem- 
ple, which overlooked the Spanish fortress, 
and had collected there a quantity of stones 
for the purpose of throwing them upon their 



Questions. — 12. On one of these occasions, what did 
Montezuma do'? What is- said of the people ? What did 
he order them ? How was this order received ? What 
followed ? What is said of Montezuma ? 13. Under his 
successor what took place ? Where did a body of Mexi- 
cans assemble? 



CONQUEST OF MEXICO. 

enemies. Cortez, with a small band of the 
bravest of his men, went to drive the Mexi- 
cans from the temple. 

14. Here a fearful contest ensued. The 
Mexicans fought with desperation ; and the 
contest turning against them, many preferred 
to die rather than submit to the Spaniards : 
they leaped from the lofty pinnacle of the 
temple to the ground, and were killed by the 
fall. In this engagement Cortez narrowly 
escaped with his life. Two Mexicans singled 
him out for destruction, and resolved to per- 
ish with him. With this intention, they rushed 
towards the spot where he stood, drew him to 
the edge of the pinnacle, and leaped over the 
railing with him. But Cortez, who w-as a man 
of great strength, held fast to the railing, 
while his two antagonists fell, and were dashed 
to pieces upon the earth beneath. 

15. Cortez, however, finding his situation 
growing daily more dangerous, resolved to 
withdraw for a short time from the city. Ac- 
cordingl}^ under the cover of a dark and rainy 
night, he set out with his army, hoping to es- 
cape the vigilance of his enemies. His move- 
ments, meanwhile, were carefully watched by 

Questions. — 13. What did Cortez do? 14. What en- 
sued? What is said of the Mexicans? Of Cortez? 
How did he save himself? 15. What did Cortez resolve? 
What is said of his movements? 
10* 



V 



AMERICA. 



the Mexicans, who availed themselves of every 
opportunity of destro^-ing the unwelcome 
strangers. The Spaniards had crossed the 
lake unperceived, and were about to enter a 
breach in the causeway, when they were as- 
sailed by a shower of darts, arrows, and 
stones. A dreadful scene of confusion fol- 
lowed. The darkness of the night was so 
great that they were unable to distinguish 
friends from foes. Thousands of Mexicans 
were slain; while, on the other hand, Cortez 
lost several hundred of his Spanish troops, 
and more than one thousand of his Tlascalan 
allies, with nearly all his horses, artilliery, and 
baggage. 

16. The Spaniards retreated towards Tlas- 
cala, through the valley of Otumba. But, 
when they came in sight of this valley, they 
were surprised to find it occupied by an army 
of several hundred thousand Mexicans. The 
emperor appeared conspicuous in the midst 
of this vast multitude. He was borne aloft 
upon a splendid litter, and carried in his hand 
the imperial standard, which was never un- 
furled except on the most important occa- 
sions. 

Questions. — 15. When the Spaniards had crossed the 
lake, what took place ? What followed ? What did Cor- 
tez lose ? 16. Where did the Spaniards return ? How 
did the emperor appear? 



CONQUEST OF MEXICO. 115 

17. At the sight of this immense army, Cor- 
tez was perplexed but not intimidated. He 
immediately arranged his infantry in the form 
of a column, and placed one part of his cavalry 
in front to break the ranks of the enemy, and 
the rest in the rear to prevent them from 
uniting. In this order they entered the valley. 
The conflict was long and obstinate, and. the 
Mexicans were cut down by thousands ; and 
when forced to retire by the superior skill of 
the Spaniards, again fearlessly returned to the 
charge. 

18. Cortez, at the head of his cavalry, car- 
ried death and consternation wherever he 
directed his course ; at length he grew uneasy 
lest the countless number of his enemies might 
finally exhaust the strength of his little army. 
It had been said that the fate of the battle 
was considered by the Mexicans to depend on 
the loss or preservation of the imperial ban- 
ner. Cortez, therefore, determined to decide 
the doubtful contest, by seizing or destroying 
the sacred standard. Accompanied by several 
of his bravest officers, he forced his way 
through his enemies, and in a few moments 
reached the place where the banner was ele- 
vated, attacked the Mexican chieftain who 

Questions. — 17. At this what is said of Cortez ? De- 
scribe the conflict. 18. What did Cortoz do ? What had 
teen said? " What did he determine? What did he do? 



116 AMERICA. 

curried it, and, with a single stroke from hi^ 
lance, brought him to the ground. 

19. The loss of the imperial standard decided 
the conflict; the Mexicans immediately threw! 
down their arms, and fled precipitately to the! 
woods and mountains. After this victory, the 
Spaniards continued their march to the city 
of Tlascala, without meeting with any resist- 
tance. Cortez remained in this city for some 
time, in order that his men might recover 
from the fatigues which they had undergone. ! 
In the mean time, having been reinforced by | 
several hundred Spaniards, he marched back j 
to Tezcuco, resolved, if jDossible, to reduce the I 
capital. 

20. With immense labor, he had timber 
brought from a distance; a number of vessels 
were built, and launched on the lake around 
the cit3^ For several weeks the city was 
furiously assaulted by the Spaniards, and as 
vigorously defended by the Mexicans. At 
length the valor of the Spaniards prevailed; 
the city was taken, and the emperor, Gua- 
timozin, the successor of Quetlavaca, in at- 
tempting to escape, fell into the hands of the 

Questions. — 19. What decided the conflict? After 
this victory, what did the Spaniards do ? In the mean 
time what did Cortez resolve? 20. With immense labor 
what was done? What is said of the city? At length 
what happened? 



CONQUEST OF MEXICO. 117 

victors. Thus was the great Aztec empire of 
Mexico extinguished, in less than two years 
after the entrance of Cortez into the capital. 

21. The Spaniards were greatly disappointed 
in the amount of gold and silver which they 
expected to find in the city. In order, there- 
fore, to discover hidden treasure, they put the 
monarch and his chief minister to the most 
cruel tortures. They placed them upon an in- 
strument called the rack. The prince endured 
his sufferings with courage, and hearing his 
fellow suiferer complain, turned to him, and 
said : "And, myself, am I on a bed of roses?" 

22. Cortez, arriving at this moment, was 
greatly moved by the sufferings of Guatimozin, 
and immediately ordered him to be set at lib- 
erty; but the unhappy monarch was put to 
death in 1523, two years after his capture, on 
a charge of treason and conspiracy. 

23. Mexico was described, at the time of its 
discovery, as one of the most delightful coun- 
tries of North America, and its natural features 
still remain. Fruit and fragrant flowers spon- 
taneously abound; groves of lemon and orange 
trees may be seen extending for miles; and 
the whole face of nature is covered with luxu- 



QuESTiONS. — 21. What is said of the Spaniards ? To 
discover the treasure, what did they do ? What did the 
prince say? 22. What did Cortez order ? 23. What is 
said of Mexico ? Fruit, &c. ? 



118 AMERICA. 

riiint vecretation. The forests are throna^ed 
with birds of varied plumage, and the very air 
is filled with the sweet fragrance which arises 
from the groves and meadows. The country, 
moreover, abounds wuth mines of gold and 
silver. 

2-t. On the fall of the empire, Mexico became 
a Spanish province, and so remained for three 
hundred years. After several insurrections 
against Spain had failed, one organized in 1821, 
by General Augustin Iturbide, succeeded. In 
the following year he was proclaimed empe- 
ror, under the title of Augustin I. In 1823, a 
revolt, headed by General Santa Anna, occa- 
sioned his abdication, and he left the country. 
In 1824, a Constitution w^as adopted, modelled 
upon that of the United States. In the same 
3^ear, Iturbide, returning to revive the empire, 
was captured and shot. 

25. In 1836, Texas revolted, and became in 
1845 one of the States of the American Union. 
This led to acts of war on the part of Mexico, 
which were resented by the United States, the 
troops of which were victorious over the Mexi- 
cans in 1846 and 1847. In 1848, Mexico sur- 



QuEsyiONs.— 23. What is said of the forests ? 24. What 
occurred after the fall of the empire? What is said of 
Iturbide? What took place in 1824? 25. What event 
occurred in 1836? To what did this lead? What took 
place in 1848? 



CONQUEST OF MEXICO. 119 

rendered to the United States the disputed 
territory, together with New Mexico and 
Upper Culifornia. 

26. In 1863, France enforced by war certain 
claims against Mexico, and being successful, 
invited the Archduke Maximilian, brother of 
the Emperor of Austria, to assume the impe- 
rial throne of Mexico. This unfortunate prince 
was led to believe also that an influential por- 
tion of the population favored the measure. 
He therefore assumed imperial power in 1864. 
Believing his throne secure, and having no 
children of his own, he adopted the infant 
grandson of the late Emperor Iturbide as his 
heir. A successful revolution, however, over- 
turned the empire; the former government 
was restored, and Maximilian was shot, June 
19, 1867. The history of Mexico since its in- 
dependence of Spain, presents, in general, only 
a series of revolutions. 

Questions. — 26. Relate the events that led to Maxi- 
milian's assuming imperial power. Who was his heir ? 
How did this power terminate ? What is the remaining 
history of Mexico ? 



120 AMERICA. 



CHAPTEE XIII. 



Discovery and Conquest of Peru by 
Francis Pizarro. 

1. Shortly after the conquest of Mexico, re- 
ports of the great wealth existing in Peru in 
South America, aroused the cupidity of the 
Spaniards who had already set foot in the 
Kew World. An expedition under Francis 
Pizarro sailed from Panama in the year 1525, 
and explored the shores of the Pacific Ocean, 
Pizarro afterwards obtained from Spain a 
right of discovery and conquest in Peru, and 
thither he proceeded with a small force in 
1531. He entered Peru, then a rich and ex- 
tensive empire, and penetrated to the interior. 

2. The country at that time was divided 
into two hostile parties, led by the two sons of 
the late monarch, who disputed the succession 
to the throne. The younger was successful ; 
he defeated his brother in battle, and having 
made him prisoner, caused him to be put to 
death. Both princes had previously endea- 
vored to gain the assistance of the Spaniards, 

Question?. -1. After the conquest of Mexico* what 
was undertaken? What did Pizarro obtain? Where did 
he advance ? 2. What is said of the country ? Who was 
Buccessful ? What had both endeavored to gain ' 



CONQUEST OF PERU. 121 

and Pizarro, now pretending to be a friend to 
the successful competitor, marched to meet; 
him, but suddenly attacked his army, and hav- 
ing slain a great many o-f his followers, took 
the monarch prisoner. 

3. The unfortunate prince made every con- 
cession to obtain his liberty. He even agreed 
to fill the room in which he was confined, 
measuring twenty-two feet in length and sev- 
enteen in breadth, with vessels of gold and 
silver. He did not, however, obtain his re- 
lease, and was finally put to death. The mon- 
archy being thus overthrown, and Peru re- 
duced to a Spanish province, the most violent 
contentions began to prevail among the con- 
querors. Almagro, the rival of Pizarro, was 
condemned and executed, and the eventful life 
of Pizarro was, in turn, ended by assassina- 
tion. 

4. The former empire of the Incas of Peru 
was divided into several provinces, each gov- 
erned by a Spanish viceroy. These were New 
Granada, (partly formed from Peru,) Buenoa 
Ayres, Guatemala, Venezuela, Caracas, Cu- 
mana, and Chili. About this period the 



Questions. —2. What did Pizarro do ? 3. What did the 
prince agree to do ? Did he obtain his liberty ? After 
this, who prevailed ? What was the end of Almagro and 
Pizarro? 4. What provinces were formed from the 
former empire of Peru ? 
11 



122 AMERICA. 

Portuguese colonized Brazil, on the eastern 
coast of South America. 

5. Peru was the last of the Spanish Ameri- 
can colonies which remained attached to the 
mother country. A government independent 
of S])ain was proclaimed in 1821, and firmly 
established by the success of the insurgents 
under Simon Bolivar in the battle of Ayachuco, 
three years after. In 1826, a Constitution 
similar to that of the United States was 
adopted. 

Qdestions. — 5. What is said of the independence of 
Peru ? What took place in 1821 ? In 1826 ? 



AMERICAN COLONIES. 



CHAPTER XIY. 

Settlement of Yirginia. 

1. About the year 1584, a company was 
formed in England, under the patronage of 
Sir Walter Ealeigh, for the purpose of making 
a settlement in America. Ealeigh, having ob- 
tained a grant of land from Queen Elizabeth, 
arrived in the New World, entered Pamlico 
Sound, and took possession of the country in 
the name of the crown of England. On his 
return, the account he gave of the fertility of 
the country so pleased Elizabeth, that she 
bestowed on it the name of Virginia, in re- 
ference to her own unmarried state. 

2. The next year, Sir Walter Ealeigh sent 
over to Virginia several small vessels, under 
the command of Eichard Granville, carrying 
one hundred and eighty adventurers, who 
landed on the isle of Eoanoke. But the colo- 
nists, deluded with the prospect of finding 

Questions. — 1. What took place in 1584? What is 
said of Raleigh ? On his return ? 2. After this what 
did Raleigh do ? What is said of the colonists ? 

123 



124 AMERICA. 

mines of gold and silver, neglected the culti- 
vation of the soil; and, in consequence of this 
they were reduced to the utmost distress by 
flimine. Fortunately, they were enabled to 
return to England the following year, on the i 
occasion of a visit to the colony of a ship of 
Sir Francis Drake's. The only fruit of their 
stay in America was the introduction by them 
into England of tobacco and potatoes. 

In 1587, another colony was sent to the 
same place. During the interval of three 
years, before supplies could reach them from 
England, these colonists all perished by sick- 
ness, or fell by the hands of the natives. 

3. The ill success of the first adventurers 
naturally weakened the spirit of the enter- 
prise, and for a season withdrew the attention 
of others from attempting settlements in the 
New World. In the year 1607, however, 
another body of one hundred and eight ad- 
venturers, under the patronage of the London 
Company, sailed for the coast of Virginia. 
After a long and dangerous voyage, they ar- 
rived at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, 
and sailed up a beautiful stream, to which 
they gave the name of James Eiver. They 

Questions. -2. What is said of their return to Eng- 
land ? Of the colony of 1587 ? 3. What was the effect 
of these failures? In 1607, what took place? Where 
did they arrive ? 



SETTLEMENT OF VIRGINIA. 125 

finally landed, built a fort, and laid the foun- 
dation of a village, to which, in honor of their 
king, they gave the name of Jamestown. 

4. The ruins of this village are still visible. 
A few traces of decayed houses, the moulder- 
ing remains of a fortification, and an ancient 
church-yard mark the spots where the first 
permanent English settlement was made upon 
the shores of North America. 

5. Who can describe the sentiments of the 
traveller, when he visits the site of this ancient 
town ? This vast country, stretching from the 
Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean, now containing 
a population of thirty millions of inhabitants, 
was then an extensive wilderness, the vast 
hunting-ground of the Indians. They alone 
dwelt in its valleys, and held undisputed sway 
over its hills and its mountains, its lakes and 
its rivers. Extensive cities, towns, and vil- 
lages are now spread over the plains, where 
once the humble wigwams of the Indians 
stood. 

6. The government of this colony was framed 
by the London Company, and was administered 
by a council of seven persons, with a president 

Questions. — 3, What town did they commence? 
4. What is said of the ruins of this village ? 5. What 
is said of this vast country ? What did they hold ? 
What is said of cities, &c. ? 6. Where was the govern- 
ment of the colony framed ? 
11* 



126 AMERICAN COLONIES. 

chosen from their own number. The condi- 
tion of the colony, at first, was far from being'l 
prosperous. The provisions which they had' 
brought with them were soon exhausted; 
and as they had planted nothing, they were! 
reduced to the utmost distress for the want oi i 
food; and to add new misfortunes to those! 
which surrounded them, sickness broke out; 
among them, and in the course of four months 
fifty of their number died. | 

7. The colony, however, was saved from final ' 
ruin, through the energy of one of their num- 
ber. Captain John Smith. The life of this ex- 
traordinary man is truly wonderful. Being of 
a romantic turn of mind, he left England at \ 
the age of fifteen, and travelled through 
Spain, France, and Germany. He entered the 
army of the emperor of Germany, and at 
length obtained the command of a body of 
cavalry. It was not long before Smith signal- 
ized himself by deeds of valor. 

8. On one occasion, he challenged a Turk i 
to single combat, and the challenge was im- I 
mediately accepted. They mounted their ' 
horses, and met in the open plain. A fierce 



Questions. —6. What was the condition of the colony? 
To what were they reduced ? What further? 7. How 
was the colony saved ? What is said of his life ? Where 
did he travel ? 8. What is said of his combats with the 
three Turks? 



SETTLEMENT OF VIRGINIA. 127 

contest ensued, in which the Turk was slain. 
Smith challenged a second; and the second 
shared the same fate as the first. A third 
accepted the challenge, and he, too, fell be- 
neath the deadly lance of Smith. 

9. He fought many battles against the 
Turks, but being at length wounded, was 
taken prisoner, and sent as a slave to Con- 
stantinople. His kind mistress there, to se- 
cure his safety, sent him to her brother, a 
Tartar prince. Smith, being grossly- insulted 
by him, killed him, and escaped into Ger- 
many. Thence he returned to England, and, 
shortly afterwards, joined an expedition which 
was about to sail to the New World. 

10. In Virginia he often went into the in- 
terior, to obtain provisions and to explore the 
country. In one of these expeditions, he was 
attacked by a party of Indians, and all his 
companions were killed. Seizing one of the 
Indians, he held him as a shield between him- 
self and the enemy, and in this manner he 
retreated; but being unacquainted with the 
country, he sank in a swamp, and was taken 
prisoner. 

Questions. — 9. What happened to Smith afterwards ? 
On Lis return to England ? 10. What is said of him in 
Virginia? What happened? How did he retreat? 
How was he taken ? 



128 AMERICAN" COLONIES. 

11. Smith now preserved his life by display- 
ini^ to the savages a pocket compass, and 
amused and astonished them by explaining its 
powers. They led him in triumph to Powhat- 
tan, their king. A council was held, and it was 
decreed that he should be put to death, as a 
man whose valor and genius were dangerous 
to the Indians. 

12. He was accordingly led forth to execu- 
tion, and Powhattan himself resolved to be 
his executioner. His head was placed upon a 
stone, but just as the king was in, the act of 
raising the fatal club to despatch his victim, 
Pocahontas, hia youthful daughter, rushed 
forward and threw herself at the feet of her 
father, and by her tears and entreaties be- 
sought him to spare the life of Smith. Pow- 
hattan gazed for a moment with astonishment 
upon his daughter; her prayers touched his 
heart, his club fell harmlessly to the ground; 
he gave Smith his liberty, and permitted him 
to return to Jamestown. Such is the reported 
history of an event which begins now to be 
questioned. 

13. On his return. Smith found the colony 



Questions. — 11. How did Smith preserve his life? ' 
Where was he taken? What was decreed? 12. Where I 
was he led ? How was his life saved ? What is said of J 
Powhattan? 



SETTLEMENT OF VIRGINIA. 129 

in the greatest distress. Only forty of the 
emigrants were living, and they had become 
80 much disheartened that they were about 
to return to England. Smith, however, being 
made president of the council, by his energy 
and activity soon restored order and pros- 
perity to the colony. He passed a decree, 
that those who would not work should have 
nothing to eat; and bj^ this means he soon 
rendered them all industrious. Smith also 
explored the Chesapeake Bay to its head- 
waters, and made a correct map of its shores. 

14. In 1609, Powhattan had concerted meas- 
ures for the destruction of the colony; but 
Pocahontas, who had always been friendly to 
the English, learning the designs of her father, 
hastened to Jamestown on a dark and stormy 
night, and disclosed the plot to Smith. This 
timely notice saved the colony from destruc- 
tion. Pocahontas, during another visit to 
Jamestown, was there detained, with a hope 
that Powhattan, while his daughter was in 
the hands of the English, would abstain from 
hostilities. 

15. But the noble-hearted king, though he 

Questions. — 13. On Smith's return, how did he find 
the colony? Being made president, what did he do? 
What explorations did he make ? 14. In 1609, what took 
place ? What did Pocahontas do ? What happened to Po- 
cahontas during another visit to Jamestown? 



130 AMERICAN COLONIES. 

loved his dano-hter, bated treachery and deceit. 
He indignantly refused to listen to an}- terms 
of peace, until his daughter was restored. 
Pocahontas was deeply interesting in her 
deportment; simple, innocent, and attractive. 
During her stay at Jamestown, she became at- 
tached to a young man of respectable parent- 
age, by the name of John Eolfe, and, with 
the consent of her father, they were married. 
After the celebration of the nuptials, Eolfe 
and the princess sailed for England, where li 
she was instructed in the Christian religion, ! 
and publicly baptized. She died shortly after- I 
wards at Gravesend, in the twenty-second 
year of her age, leaving a son, from whom sev- 
eral Virginia families are descended. 

16. About this time, Captain Smith received 
a severe wound from an explosion of gunpow- 
der, and in consequence of this accident, he 
was obliged to return to England for medical 
aid. His absence was a severe loss to the 
colony. They wasted their provisions, and 
were soon reduced to the utmost distress by 
famine. So dreadful were its effects, that, in 

Questions. — 15. What is said of the king? What 
did he refuse ? What is said of Pocahontas ? To whom 
was she married? Where did she sail? In what was 
she instructed? Where did she die? 16. What hap- 
pened about this time? What is said of his absence? 
What did they waste? 



SETTLEMENT OF VIRGINIA. 131 

the course of a few months, their number was 
reduced from five hundred to sixty. They" 
were relieved, however, by the timely arrival 
of Lord Delaware with provisions and one 
hundred and fifty emigrants. This was in 
1610; from this period the colony began to 
prosper. 

17. The year 1619 is rendered memorable 
by the introduction of negro slavery into 
America. A Dutch vessel, from the coast of 
Guinea, arrived at Jamestown, having on board 
twenty negroes, who were purchased by the 
planters. In the next year, about a hundred 
young women of good character were sent 
out from England, as wives for the colonists. 
The passage of each cost one hundred and 
twenty pounds of tobacco, which was paid by 
the husband. 

18. The colony had enjoj^ed for some time a 
great degree of prosperity; it was, however, 
doomed to experience a stroke that nearly 
proved fatal to its existence. On the twenty- 
second of March, during the year 1623, the 
Indians fell upon the colonists while they 
were engaged at work, and in one fatal hour 



Questions. —16. How were they relieved? 17. For 
what is the year 1619 memorable ? What occurred the 
next year? 18. What is said of the colony? On the 
22d of March, what took place ? 



132 AMERICAN COLONIES. 

killed three hundred and forty-seven of their 
Dumber. After other severe losses, peace was 
made in 1646. 

19. AVe are obliged, in this small work, to 
omit many things in the history of Virginia 
that would be interesting to our young read- 
ers. Sometimes we find it prosperous, and at 
other times we behold it contending with the 
storms of adversity. In 1624, under James 
II., Virginia became a royal province, and so 
continued, except for two short intervals, un- 
til the Kevolution. When Cromwell usurped 
the government of England, Virginia still 
remained faithful to the royal family (the 
Stuarts) for three years. In 1652, she was 
obliged to yield, and a Puritan settler from 
Maryland, named Bennet, was made gov- 
ernor. 

20. On the restoration of Charles II., in 
1660, Virginia declared her allegiance to the 
king. Sir William Berkeley, the former gov- 
ernor, w^as restored. With the re-establish- 
ment of the Church of England came severe « 
laws on religion ; then followed heavy taxa- 
tion, so that a rebellion broke out in 1676, 
called, from the name of its leader, ''Bacon's 
Eebellion." 

Questions. — 18. How many were killed? 19. What 
happened under James II. ? Under Cromwell? 20. What, 
occurred in 1660 ? What events led to Bacon's Rebellion ?^ 



SETTLEMENT OF NEW YOKK. 133 

21. Berkeley was complained of because he 
did not protect the colony, and Bacon's forces 
drove away the Indians who threatened the 
colonists, but he himself died the same 3^ear, 
after a contest with Berkeley, in which James- 
town was destroyed. Berkeley employed meas- 
ures so severe against Bacon's followers, that 
he was recalled to England in 1677, and died 
there. A proprietary government under Lord 
Culpepper ensued, but was soon succeeded by 
the former provincial government. 



CHAPTER XY. 



The Settlement of New York, New Jersey, 
AND Delaware. 

1. The territory now forming the State of 
New York was first settled by the Dutch. As 
early as the year 1609, Ilenr}^ Hudson, an 
Englishman, then in the service of the East 
India Company of Holland, sailed to the New 
World in search of a passage to India. He 
touched at Long Island^ and sailed up a beau- 

QuESTiONS. — 21. What was one of the complaints 
against Berkeley? What did Bacon do? After his 
death, what is said of Berkeley? What occurred in 
1677? — 1. By whom was New York settled? In 1609, 
what took place? Where did he touch? 
12 



13-i AMERICAN COLONIES. 

tifiil stream, which, from his own name, he 
called the Hudson Kiver. The object of his 
voyage proving unsuccessful, he returned to 
Europe. 

2. Hudson, shortly after his return, sailed 
on another voyage, in the employment of a 
compan}'- of English merchants, with a view 
to discover a northwestern passage to India. 
He sailed north to the Arctic Ocean, but in a 
mutiny of his crew, he and eight of the sea- 
men who were faithful to him were thrown 
into a small boat, and left to perish. He was 
never heard of afterwards. 

3. About the year 1613, a company of Dutch 
adventurers, claiming the country as a Dutch 
possession, by right of Hudson's discovery of 
it, begai)i a settlement on the banks of the 
Hudson / Eiver. A West India Company was 
formed jby the Dutch, who built a fort near 
the prej^ent site of Albany, called Fort Orange, 
and anlother, with some few trading houses, 
on Ma.nhattan Island, w^here the city of New 
York now stands. They styled the latter 
settlement New Amsterdam, while the whole 
territory between Cape Cod and the Dela- 
ware Bay was called New Netherlands. New 



Questions. — 2. What did Hudson do, after his re- 
turn? Where did he sail? What was his fate? 3. 
About the year 1613, what was done ? What settlements 
did they make ? What territory was embraced ? 



SETTLEMENT OF NEW YORK. 135 

Jersey began to be settled by the Dutch in 
1622, a trading post having been established 
that' year at Bergen. In 1664, they settled 
Elizabeth, by a colony from Long Island. 

4. The State of Delaware was first visited 
in 1638 by a colony of Danes, w^ho commenced 
a settlement near the spot where Wilming- 
ton now stands, and called the country New 
Sweden. The Dutch settlers of New Nether- 
lands always regarded their Danish neighbors 
with an eye of jealousy; they claimed the 
territory of Delaware, and sought every oppor- 
tunity of asserting their rights. 

5. At this time the settlement of New 
Netherlands was governed by Peter Stuyve- 
eant, of whom historians relate many curious 
incidents. The Swedes, very imprudently, 
took possession of a fort built by the Dutch, 
and made prisoners of the garrison. This 
conduct gave Stuyvesant a plausible excuse for 
invading the territory of New Sweden. He 
immediately collected an army, and marched 
against the Swedes, and having defeated them 
in several battles, subdued the settlement, and 
united it to New Netherlands, in 1655. 

Questions. — 3. When was New Jersey settled ? 4. What 
is said of Delaware ? How did the Dutch settlers regard 
them? What did they claim? 5. Who was governor 
of New Netherlands ? What did the Swedes ? What did 
Stuyvesant do ? 



136 AMERICAN COLONIES. 

6. We have seen that the first settlements 
in New York were made by the Dutch : it re- 
mains to be shown how that colony fell into 
the hands of the English. 'Charles II., of 
England, after his restoration to the throne 
of his father, seemed to be anxious for some 
pretext on which to rest a dispute with Hol- 
land. Among other things, he claimed the 
colony possessed by that country in America, 
and conveyed it to his brother, the Duke of 
York, with power to subdue it, in 1664. The 
origin of this claim was the discovery by the 
Cabots, at the close of the fifteenth century. 
It embraced the territory now comprehended 
between Maine and the Carolinas. ^ 

7. The duke immediately sent three ships, 
under the command of Eichard Nichols, to 
reduce the territory. Nichols arrived in the 
harbor of New Amsterdam, and demanded a 
surrender of the place. Stuyvesant, the gov- 
ernor, after some opposition, was compelled 
to yield to the English; and the whole terri- 
tory thus became subject to the British crown, < 
and the settlement, in honor of the duke, was 
called New York. New Amsterdam took the 

Questions. — 6. What have we seen, &c. ? After the 
restoration of Charles, what did he do ? What did he 
claim? To whom did he convey it? What was the 
origin of this claim? 7. What did the duke do ? What j 
did Nichols do ? What followed ? 



SETTLEMENT OF NEW YORK. 137 

name of New York, and Fort Orange that of 
Albany. 

8. In 1664, the same year in which the col- 
onies inhabited by the Dutch were bestowed 
upon the Duke of York by his brother Charles, 
the Duke sold New Jersey to two English no- 
blemen. Delaware was held by the English 
as a part of the province of New York from 
the same period. During a war between Eng- 
land and Holland in 1673, the Dutch regained 
possession of New Jersey and Delaware. They 
held them, however, but fifteen months, and 
then restored them to the English. 

9. In 1682, these two colonies were trans- 
ferred to William Penn. Delaware continued 
under the government of Pennsylvania until 
the Revolution. New Jersey was in 1702 ceded 
to the English crown by the proprietary^ of 
Pennsylvania, and was governed with New 
York as a royal province until 1738. After 
that it had a government of its own. 

10. About the close of the seventeenth cen- 
tury British commerce suffered greatly from 
the swarms of pirates that infested the seas. 
These men attacked and plundered ships, and 

♦Questions. — 7. Why was it called New York? What 
other changes in names took place? 8. In 1664, what ig 
said of New Jersey ? Of Delaware? What happened in 
1673? 9. What changes took place in the government 
of New Jersey and Delaware in 1682 and thereafter ? 
12* 



138 AMERICAN" COLONIES. 

even murdered all on board, and then burned 
or 8unk the vessels, making private profit of 
all their captures. The evil grew to such an 
extent that the English government was 
obliged to take measures to suppress it. Wil- 
liam Kidd, one of the boldest shipmasters 
Bailing out of N'ew York, was recommended 
as a suitable person to go in search of the 
pirates. He accordingly received a royal 
commission to that effect, and set sail from 
Bristol, England, in 1695. 

11. He cruised for some time off the Ameri- 
can coast, and obtained a number of men from 
New York. He proceeded then to the East 
Indies and the coast of Africa, where the pi- 
rates abounded; but on the way resolved to 
become a pirate himself He made known his 
design' to his men, who readily consented to 
it; and for several years the name of Kidd 
was a terror to all who sailed in that part of 
the world. 

12. He returned to New York in 1698, and 
after burying a large portion of his treasure, 
proceeded boldly to Boston, believing that his 
commission would be a sufficient protection to 
him. However, his piratical proceedings were 

Questions. — 10. What is said of the pirates? In 
what did their piracy consist? What measures were 
taken ? What is said of Kidd ? 11. Where did he pro- 
ceed first? And then? What plan did he form on the 
way? What was the result? 



SETTLEMENT OF MASSACHUSETTS. 139 

80 notorious that they could not be over- 
looked. He was arrested, sent to England, 
and tried. No evidence of his piracies could 
be gathered ; but he was tried for killing one 
of his crew in an altercation, and hanged in 
1701. 

13. In 1741, a great excitement was occa- 
sioned in New York by the discovery of an 
alleged plot on the part of the slaves to rob 
and destroy property and to usurp the govern- 
ment. While the panic lasted, numerous exe- 
cutions took place, and many innocent persons 
suffered. 



CHAPTEK XYI. 

The Settlement op Massachusetts. 

1. We have seen in the history of Virginia 
that Captain Smith, so celebrated in that col- 
ony, was obliged to return to England in con- 
sequence of having received a severe wound 
from the explosion of gunpowder. As soon 
as he recovered, he again sailed on an expedi- 
tion to the New World in 1614. He touched 

Questions. — 12. Where did Kidd go in 1698? What 
occurred to him in Boston ? What was his end ? 13. What 
is said of an alleged plot in New York in 1741? — 
1. What is said of Captain Smith ? 



140 AMERICAN" COLONIES. 

at the mouth of the Kennebec Eiver, and ex- 
amined the coast as far as Cape Cod ; and, on 
his return to Europe, he prepared a map of 
the country, to which he gave the name of 
New Enghmd. 

2. In the early part of the year 1620, a pa- 
tent was granted by King James I., of Eno-. 
land, to several persons, forming the Council 
of Plymouth, for the purpose of making a set- 
tlement in New England. During the same 
year in which the patent was obtained, the 
first permanent settlement was commenced in 
New England at Plymouth, by a body of per- 
sons called Puritans. The Puritans, like other 
dissenters from the Church of England at that 
time, suffered greatly on account of their re- 
ligion. 

3. To escape these trials, a body of Puritans 
removed to Holland. They remained for eleven 
years at Leyden ; but not finding their situa- 
tion there agreeable, resolved to seek a home 
in the wilds of America. The emigrants em- 
barked on a vessel called the Speedwell, and 
touched at England on the way, in order to 
accompany others departing thence on the 

Questions. — 1. What expedition did Smith go upon? 
What was the result ? 2. In 1620 what took place ? What 
settlement was made ? Who were the Puritans ? 3. Whi- 
ther did some of these Puritans proceed? What did 
they then resolve ? 



SETTLEMENT OF MASSACHUSETTS. 141 

Mayflower. After twice beginning their voy- 
age to America together, the bad condition of 
the Speedwell obliged both parties to return 
to England. Finally the Mayflower set out 
alone from Plymouth, with about a hundred 
passengers, September 6, 1620. 

4. The party intended to land near the 
Hudson Eiver, but they were carried much 
farther to the north ; and the first land they 
came in sight of was the bleak shore of Cape 
Cod. After some days spent in searching for 
a suitable place to land, and in drawing up a 
form of government for the future colony, the 
Mayflower was safely moored in a beautiful 
harbor, to which they gave the name of Ply- 
mouth. Here they landed, December 22, 1620. 

5. Thus, after a long and toilsome voyage, 
they found themselves cast upon an unknown 
and hostile coast. On the one side lay a vast 
wilderness covered with ice and snow, on the 
other the broad Atlantic separated them from 
home, and kindred, and native clime. They 
were exposed to all the rigors of a New Eng- 
land winter, without a roof to shelter them 
from the storm. Their supply of provisions 

Questions. — Relate the voyages of the Speedwell and 
the Mayflower. 4. Where did they intend to land? 
After some days, where was the Mayflower moored? 
6. What is said of the pilgrims ? What were all their 
difficulties ? 



142 AMEKICAN COLONIES. 

was limited, and to fill the measure of their 
calamities, they were visited by a distressing 
sickness, which in a short time carried off 
nearly half their number. 

6. In the spring of 1621, they received a 
visit from Massasoit, the most powerful Indian 
chief of that region, and the king of the tribe 
of Wampanoags. He gave them a cordial 
welcome, and entered into a league of friend- 
ship with them, which was strictly observed 
for more than thirty years. 

7. Until 1623, when they had a plentiful 
harvest, the colony endured many privations, 
and were often near famishing. But in that 
year, some changes were made in the system 
of labor, and the plan of common property 
was abandoned. Other colonists continued to 
arrive. John Endicott settled Salem with a 
considerable party in 1628. The Company of 
Massachusetts Bay was formed, and brought a 
large emigration in the two succeeding years, 
who settled Boston and adjacent towns. 

8. It might be supposed that men, who had 
bled under the lash of persecution for their 
religious opinions, would have learned to re- 

QuESTiONS. — 5. What is said of their provisions, &c. ? 

6. What chief visited them in 1G21 ? What is said of him ? 

7. What is said of the privations of the settlers ? What 
is said of other arrivals of colonists ? 8. What is said 
of the persecutions practised ? 



SETTLEMENT OF MASSACHUSETTS. 143 

spect these opinions in others. But this was 
far from being the case. While we commend 
the noble spirit, which enabled them to bid 
adieu to the land of their fathers, and to for- 
sake the scenes of early childhood, that they 
might enjoy the free exercise of their religion, 
we cannot but look with feelings of the deepest 
regret upon the spirit of intolerance which 
they exercised among themselves. 

9. Some of the colonists retained a high 
veneration for the Church of England, and 
refused to comply with the religious regula- 
tions of the Puritans. Endicott, the governor, 
called before him the principal offenders, and 
sentenced them to banishment; they were ac- 
cordingly sent home, by the first vessel return- 
ing to England. The Quakers fared worse; 
out of a party arriving in 1656, four were 
executed, many were banished, and others 
whipped or cast into prison. 

10. In 1643, the New England colonies, ex- 
cept Rhode Island, formed a union for mutual 
protection against the Dutch, the French, 
and the Indians. The wars with the Indians 
will be related in a separate chapter. In 1692, 
the government of the Plymouth colony was 

Questions. — 8. What distinctions must we draw? 
9. What is said of many of the colonists ? What did 
Endicott do? What is said of the Quakers? 10. What 
occurred in 1643? In 1692? 



144 AMERICAN COLONIES. 

merged into that of Massachusetts Bay, which 
had also jurisdiction over Maine and other 
territory. Maine continued united with Mas- 
sachusetts until erected into a State, in 1820. 

11. In 1692, the singular delusion called the 
Salem Witchcraft prevailed. The excitement 
on this subject was greatly promoted by the 
celebrated minister, Cotton Mather. Durino* 
its continuance, twenty persons were put to 
death, many more were tortured, and others 
imprisoned. 



CHAPTEE XYII. 



Settlement of New Hampshire, Connec- 
ticut, AND Ehode Island. 

1. The colonial history of New Hampshire 
is intimately connected with that of Massa- 
chusetts. In the spring of 1623, the first set- 
tlements in this State were made at Dover and 
Portsmouth, by a company of persons sent 
out under the patronage of Ferdinando Gorges 
and John Mason. New Hampshire was several 
times united in government with Massachu- 



QuESTioNS.— 11. What is said of the Salem Witch- 
craft?—!. What is said of the history of New Hamp- 
shire? In 1623, what took place? What changes oc- 
curred in the government? 



NEW HAMPSHIRE — CONNECTICUT. 145 

setts, and for a short time with [N'ew York. 
In 1679, and for ten years after, it was a 
royal province. In 1741, it constituted a 
separate government, and so remained until 
the Eevolution. 

2. Connecticut was for a time claimed by 
the Dutch as a part of their territory of New 
Netherlands. They even built a fort in 1633, 
on the present site of Hartford, but made no 
very vigorous efforts to retain the country. 
English emigrants, from Massachusetts, began 
settlements in 1634, and the two following 
years. In 1636, the principal early founda- 
tions were made by settlers from tliree towns 
in Massachusetts, each body being headed by 
its minister. The sites they selected are now 
known as Hartford, Wethersfield, and Wind- 
sor. 

8. In 1637, the Pequod Indians threatened the 
colonists with destruction. The latter averted 
the danger by surprising the Indians the same 
year in their encampment on the Mystic 
River, and nearly destroying the tribe. In 
1687, Sir Edmund Andros, the royal gov- 
ernor of New England, required Connecticut 

Questions. — 1. What took place in 1679 and 1741? 
2. By whom was Connecticut claimed? What fort was 
3rected? By whom was the coftntry settled? What 
settlements were made in 1636? 3. What occurred in 
1637? In 1687? What is said of the charter? 
13 



146 AMERICAN COLONIES. 

to surrender her charter. To preserve it, it 
was secretly abstracted just as it was about 
to be given up, and concealed in an old oak, 
at Hartford. This charter is said to have 
been the freest constitution ever granted by a 
king. In 1689 it went into force again. 

4. The settlement of Ehode Island was 
commenced by Eoger Williams. Williams was 
the pastor of a church at Salem, in Massa- 
chusetts, from which he was banished by the 
governor for holding religious opinions dliffer- 
ing from those of the Puritans. He went forth 
in the middle of winter, when the ground was 
covered with a deep snow, and, with a few 
companions, commenced a settlement in 1636, 
on the spot where the city of Providence now 
stands. 

5. ]^ot long after this, Mr. Coddington, with 
one hundred and seventj^-six others, havino- 
been also banished from Massachusetts, for 
holding religious opinions deemed erroneous 
by the colonial establishment, followed Eoger 
Williants, and commenced a settlement on a 
fertile island in Narraganset Bay, to which 
they gave the name of Ehode Island. The 
two settlements were united in 1644, under 

Questions. — 4. By whom was Rhode Island settled? 
What is said of Williams? Under what circumstances 
did he settle Providence ? 6. After this what took place ? 
Where did he commence a settlement? What title did 
the settlements take in 1644 ? 



SETTLEMENT OF MARYLAND. 147 

the title of the Rhode Island and Providence 
Plantations. 

6. Roger Williams was a man of liberal and 
generous principles. By the charter, which 
he obtained from England for the government 
of his colony, it was ordered that none should 
be molested for any difference of opinion in 
matters of religion. It would have been, how- 
ever, much to the credit of those who shared 
with him the administration of the govern- 
ment, if they had been more liberal in their 
views; for the very first assembly convened 
under the authority of that charter, excluded 
the Roman Catholics from voting at elections, 
and from every office in the government. 



CHAPTER XYIII. 

' The Settlement of Maryland. 

! 1. The first settlement in Maryland was 
[commenced under the patronage of Sir George 
Calvert, whose title was afterwards that of 
Lord Baltimore. Calvert was distinguished 
as a statesman, and had held, for some time, 

Questions. — 6. What is said of Williams? By the 
; charter what was ordered? At the first assembly who 
were excluded? — 1. By whom was this settlement com- 
; menccd ? What is said of Calvert ? 



148 AMERICAN" COLONIES. 

the office of secretary of state, in the reio-n 
of James I. of England. He was a Eoman 
Catholic; and the intolerance and persecution 
exercised against the Catholics of England at 
that period, naturally affected his generous and 
benevolent heart. 

2. With a view of forming in America an 
asylum for himself and his persecuted breth- 
ren, he sailed to Virginia; but not finding a 
welcome there, on account of his religion, he 
fixed his attention upon the territory beyond 
the Potomac, and finding it unoccupied, imme- 
diately returned to England, and obtained of 
Charles I. a grant of the land in 1632. The 
settlement was called Maryland, after Hen- 
rietta Maria, the wife of Charles. 

3. Sir George Calvert died before the grant 
of the territory was made out, but the right 
was transferred to his eldest son, Cecil Cal- 
vert, who inherited the titles of his father. 
Preparations were immediately made for the 
settlement of the colony. On the 22d of No- 
vember, in the year 1633, about two hundred 
emigrants set sail from the Isle of Wight, in 
two small vessels, the Ark and the Dove, and 



Questions. — 1. What was he, &c. ? 2. With a view 
of forming, &c., what did he do? Where did he fix 
his attention ? 3. What happened before the patent was 
made out? Who inherited his titles? In 1633, what 
took place ? 



SETTLEMENT OF MARYLAND. 14,9 

after a tedious voyage, arrived off Point Com- 
fort, in Virginia, on the 24th of February. 
A.fter a short rest, they proceeded to Maryland. 
Here they made a landing on what is now 
iBlackiston's (or Blackstone's) Island, in the 
Potomac river, March 25, 1634. 
( 4. As soon as they landed, they erected a 
■cross, and returned solemn thanks to God, who 
jhad guided their vessels safely through tho 
many dangers of the ocean, and had conducted 
Itheir voyage to so happy an issue: they then 
•took j)ossession of the country in the name of 
their sovereign. They treated the Indians 
with the greatest kindness and humanity; 
they paid them for the land, and then com- 
menced a settlement on the Potomac river at 
an Indian village, which they purchased from 
the natives, and to which they gave the name 
of St. Mary's. 

5. The most beautiful feature in the history 
of this colony, is that of the free toleration 
which it granted to the professors of every re- 
ligious denomination. If a stranger entered 
the colony, no questions were asked about his 

Questions. — 3, Describe the remaining occurrences 
until the landing. 4. After landing, what aid they ? 
How did they treat the Indians? Where did they com- 
mence a settlement? 5. "What is the most beautiful 
feature in the history of this colony? If a stranger 

I entered, what is said? 

I 13* 



150 AMERICAN COLONIES. 

relif]i;ion ; if a Christian, he was welcomed, 
and permitted to worship God according to 
the dictates of his own conscience. Mar3^1and 
was, moreover, an asylum from oppression, 
and merited the name of the Land of the sanc- 
tuary. 

6. While a misguided zeal in matters of re- 
ligion had enkindled the flame of persecution 
in most of the other colonies, the Catholics of 
Maryland extended their arms and invited the 
victims of intolerance from every clime to 
come and live among them. The silent prayer 
of the Friend, the chant of the Puritan, and 
the hosannas of the Catholic, were wafted to 
heaven on the breeze that arose from the 
peaceful shores of the Chesapeake. 

7. Even religious controversy and sectarian 
strife, so destructive to peace and unity, were 
banished from the colony, and whoever called 
his neighbor, by way of reproach, "a heretic," 
*' idolater," "schismatic," "round-head," "pa- 
pist," &c., was subject to a fine often shillings, 
one-half to be paid to the party insulted. 

8. Before the arrival of the colonists, a resi- 
dent of Virginia, named Claiborne, had estab- 

QuESTiONS. — 5. What title did Maryland receive? 
6. What is said of the conduct of the Catholics of Mary- 
land to those of other religions? 7. What is said of 
religious contention ? 8. Who was Claiborne, and what 
his course towards Maryland ? 



SETTLEMENT OF MARYLAND. 151 

I lished a trading-post on Kent Island, in the 
Chesapeake Bay, within the limits of Mary- 
land. Claiborne resisted the just claim of the 
proprietary to this island, but was finally 
obliged to yield possession. In revenge for 
this, he organized a rebellion, and succeeded 
in overturning the government of Maryland. 
The governor, Leonard Calvert, brother of 

■ Lord Baltimore, fled to Virginia for safety, in 
1645. Claiborne oppressed, robbed, and ban- 

' ished the friends of the Calverts, among whom 

I was the venerable Father White, who, with 
other missionaries, was sent to England in 

' chains. 

I 9. Lord Baltimore succeeded in regaining 
his rights in 1646. Three years after, on the 

- execution of Charles I., Maryland passed a de- 

^ cree proclaiming Charles II. king. This dar- 

' ing act drew down upon her the vengeance 
of the Puritans. Claiborne, "the evil genius 
of Maryland," availed himself of this circum- 
stance to become one of the principal agents 
in overturning; the c;overnment of the lord 
proprietary", in 1652. Maryland was made 

' subject to the Parliament, and Lord Baltimore 
was not restored until Cromwell himself gave 
a decision in his favor, in 1658, the last year 

' Questions. — 9. What were the events of 1646, and 
!. the succeeding years? To whom was Maryland then 
gubject, and how long ? 



152 AMERICAN COLONIES. 

of his life. The Puritans, in the interval, 
passed laws against Catholics and members of 
the Church of England, which, however, oper- 
ated only during the six years they held power. 

10. Cecil, the second lord, was succeeded 
by Charles, the third Lord Baltimore, in 1675. 
James II. was dethroned in 1689, and the par- 
tisans of AVilliam and Mar}^ in the colony 
took possession of the government before the 
arrival of the despatches from Lord Baltimore, 
announcing his allegiance to the new king 
and queen. The injustice thus done to the 
proprietary was not set right during his life. 

11. The first act of the new assembly in 
1692, was to abolish religious toleration, the 
glory of Maryland heretofore under her mild 
and enlightened proprietaries. The Church 
of England was made the state church, and 
laws most oppressive to Catholics were en- 
acted. Thus the Catholics saw themselves 
deprived of the exercise of their religion 
within the limits of the very colony in which 
they had labored to establish free toleration ; 
and by those to whom their benevolence had 
granted an asylum and a home. Nor were 
these laws entirely repealed until 1776. 



Questions. — 9. What laws did the Puritans pass? 
10. What were the events of 1675 and 1689? 11. What 
changes in the laws took place in 1692 ? What was the 
effect of these laws on the Catholics? How long did 
they endure ? 



SETTLEMENT OF PENNSYLVANIA. 153 

12. Charles, third Lord Baltimore, died in 

1714, leaving descendants who conformed to 
the new religion. On this account, the rights 
withheld from him were restored to them in 

1715. Frederick Calvert, the sixth and last 
Lord Baltimore, died in 1771, without lawful 
heirs. He left the province to his illegitimate 
son, Henry Harford, whose proprietorship was 
of course extinguished by the Revolution. In 
1692, the capital of the colony was removed 
from St. Mary's to Annapolis. In 1729, the 
city of Baltimore was laid out. 



CHAPTEE XIX. 

The Settlement of Pennsylvania. 

1. In the year 1681, the settlement of Penn- 
sylvania was commenced under the direction 
of the celebrated William Penn, from whom 
the State takes its name. In the early part 
of his life, Penn embraced the tenets of the 
Quakers, or Friends, and shared largely in the 
persecution carried on against them in Eng- 
land. Eoused, at length, by the intolerant 
S])irit of his countrymen at home, he resolved 

Questions. — 12. When did the third Lord Baltimore 
die ? What is the subsequent history of the proprietor- 
ship of Maryland ? What is said of Annapolis and Bal- 
timore? — 1. When and by whom was this settlement 
commenced ? What is said of Penn ? What did he re- 
solve and obtain ? 



154 AMERICAN COLONIES. 

to seek an asylum in the jSTew World, from the 
oppression of the Old. Accordingly^ he ap- 
plied to Charles II., from whom he obtained 
a grant of a large tract of country, including 
the present State of Penns3dvania, in com- 
pensation for a debt due from the crown to his 
father. 

2. The first colony arrived in the country 
in 1G81, and commenced a settlement on the 
banks of the Delaw^are Eiver. In the follow- 
ing year, Penn arrived in company with about 
two thousand associates, chiefly of the denomi- 
nation of Friends or Quakers. Soon after his 
arrival, Penn dr.ew out the plan and laid the 
foundation of the present city of Philadelphia, 
or the city of "Brotherly Love." 

3. The first care of Penn was to gain the 
friendship of the Indians. He met a delega- 
tion of the various tribes under a large elm- 
tree, and addressed them as follows: "AYe 
meet you on the broad pathway of good faith 
and good will; no advantage shall be taken on 
either side, but all shall be openness and love." 
The rude children of the forest were moved 
by this friendly address, and thus replied: 
" We will live in love with William Penn, and 



Questions.— 2. Wlien did the first colony arrive? 
In the following year ? Soon after his arrival, what did 
Penn do? 3. What was his first care? How did he 
address them ? How did they reply ? 



SETTLEMENT OF PENNSYLVANIA. 155 

his children, as long as the sun and moon shall 
endure." He paid them for their lands, and 
'entered into a treaty Avith them, which was 
; strictly observed for a period of seventy 
years. 

4. The government of this colony was estab- 
lished on the most humane and liberal princi- 
ples. Following the example of Lord Balti- 
more, he made civil and religious liberty the 
basis of all his institutions, and to these wise 
regulations may be attributed the rapid ad- 
vancement of Pennsylvania in population, 
'enterprise, and importance. Penn visited 
fEnghmd several times, and at length died at 
(London, in 1718, at the advanced ago of 
seventy-five years. 



Questions. — 3. For what did he pay them ? 4. What 
Is said of the government ? Whose example did he fol- 
low? When and where did Penn die? 



156 AMERICAN COLONIES. 



CHAPTER XX. 

The Settlement op the Carolinas and 
Georgia. 

1. The settlement of North and South Caro- 
lina was commenced towards the middle of the 
seventeenth century, by a company of persons 
from Virginia, who were suffering in that 
colony, on account of their religious opinions. 
Leaving their unfriendly neighbors in Vir- 
ginia, they proceeded towards the south, 
and commenced a settlement near Albemarle 
Sound. 

2. Shortly after this, another company of 
adventurers from Massachusetts settled near 
Cape Fear. The proprietors invited emigra- 
tion, by establishing a liberal government, and 
by offering a portion of the land for the first 
five years at a half-penny per acre. They 
afterwards extended their settlements to the 
banks of Ashley and Cooper Rivers, and laid 
the foundation of Charleston. In 1729, the 
title of the land was invested in the crown 
after which the country was divided into 

Questions. -1. By whom was this commenced? 
Whither did they proceed ? 2. After this what took place? 
What did the proprietors do? What did they extend? 
In 1729, what took place ? 



SETTLEMENT OF GEOEGIA. 157 

Korth and South Carolina, and a royal gov- 
ernor appointed over each. During the year 
1700, the growth of cotton was introduced 
into the Carolinas, and, a few years later, that 
of rice. 

3. The last of the thirteen original States 
that revolted against Great Britain, was Geor- 
gia. It derives its name from George the 
Second, in whose reign it began to be settled. 
In the year 1732, a company of individuals, 
under General Oglethorpe, arrived from Eng- 
land, and made the first settlement in this col- 
ony. They touched at Charleston, and after 
leaving that cit3^ they proceeded to their des- 
tined territory, and laid the foundation of the 
present city of Savannah. 



Questions. — 2. At what time was cotton introduced? 
3. Which was the last of the States? From whom does 
it derive its name? In 1732, who arrived? What city 
did they found ? 

14 



158 THE INDIAN WARS. 

CHAieTER XXI. 

The Indian Wars. 

1. Had the colonists of North America 
always been just to the Indians whom they 
found in possession of the soil, they would 
have had less reason to complain of these sav- 
ages, and of their acts of violence and blood- 
shed. The Indians were no doubt at times 
faithless and treacherous, but they were also 
frequently provoked to acts of war by the 
aggressions of the whites. When thus aroused, 
they practised all those cruelties which they 
were accustomed to employ in their warfore 
with each other. It is worthy of notice that 
the relations of the Indians with the people of 
the Plymouth cotony were entirely peaceful 
during the thirty years in which they were 
fairly used by those colonists ; nor was peace 
ever interrupted between the Indians and 
Penn's colonists; nor between the colonists 
of Maryland and those Indians with whom 
they had once formed treaties. 

2. The Indians in the vicinity of Massachu- 

QuESTiONS. — 1. Had the colonists always been just to 
the Indians, what would have been the condition of 
things? What is said of these Indians? What is 
worthy of notice ? 



THE INDIAN WARS. 159 

setts Bay were few and peaceful, at least dur- 
ing the lifetime of Massasoit; but those in 
Connecticut and Ehode Island were numerous 
and warlike. Among these, the Narragansets 
and Pequods were the most formidable. The 
latter requested their neighbors to forget their 
mutual animosity, and unite against the com- 
mon enemy, the white man ; but the Narra- 
gansets, thinking this a favorable opportunity 
for destroying a powerful rival, made known 
the hostile intentions of the Pequods to the 
governor of Connecticut, and formed an alli- 
ance with the colonists against them in 1637. 

3. The Pequods had pitched their camp near 
the head of Mystic River; but the colonists 
and their allies, under Captain Mason,- having 
reached the place unperceived, attacked the 
camp and set it on fire. A dreadful carnage 
ensued. The Indians were asleep at the time, 
and being roused by the discharge of the mus- 
kets, they rushed in consternation from their 
burning tenements. 

4. As they rushed forth, they were met by 
the swords of the enemy, or, attempting to 
leap over the enclosure of the camp, were re- 

QuESTiONS. — 2. What is said of the Indians in, &c. ? 
Which were the most powerful tribes? What did the 
latter request? What did the Narragansets do? 
3. Where had the Pequods pitched their camp ? What 
did Captain Mason do ? What followed ? 4. How were 
they met? 



160 THE INDIAN WARS. 

ceived by a shower of balls. Many, afraid to 
venture out, perished in the flames; while 
others, encountering the deadly weapons of 
the foe, rushed back into the burning element, 
and shared the fate of their companions. About 
six hundred of these poor Indians were slain 
on this occasion, and those that were taken 
prisoners were sold as slaves; so that the 
whole tribe of the Pequods was entirely de- 
stroyed. 

6. In the year 1675, the peace which had 
existed since the time of the Pequod war, was 
interrupted, and the colonists found them- 
selves involved in hostilities with Philip, king 
of the AYampanoags, the son of Massasoit, 
whose princij^al residence was at Mount Hope, 
in Ehode Island. Philip was a man of great 
courage, and of warlike abilities. He had 
long viewed the settlements of the English 
with an eye of jealousy ; and believed that, un- 
less the progress of the colonies was checked, 
the Indians would soon disappear from the 
land ; that their beautiful rivers and lakes, 
their mountains and valleys, which descended 
to them from their fathers, would in a few I 
years cease to be their inheritance ; that all | 
would pass into the hands of the strangers. i 



Questions. — 4. What is said of many? Of others? 
How many were slain? 5. In 1G75, what took place? 
What is said of Philip ? What did he believe, &c. 2 



THE INDIAN WARS. 161 

6. Accordingly, he assembled his warriors, 
and commenced a war of extermination against 
the colonists, in which he was joined by the 
Narragansets. Many and loainfiil were the 
deeds of cruelty perpetrated during this war. 
On one occasion, as a party of eighty persons 
were travelling from Deerticld to Hadley, they 
stopped by the way to gather grapes ) while 
thus engaged, they were suddenly surrounded 
and attacked by the Indians, and only ten of 
their number escaped the fearful massacre 
that followed I 

7. Brookfield, in Massachusetts, was at- 
tacked, and all the houses in it were burnt, 
except one in which many of the inhabitants 
had taken refuge. For two days the Indians 
assailed this house in vain: at last they re- 
solved to set it on fire; but just as the flames 
began to ascend, they were suddenly extin- 
guished by a heavy shower of rain. Shortly 
after this, assistance arrived from a neigh- 
boring town, and the inmates of the house 
were thus saved. 

8. After this, the war with Philip was car- 
ried on with various success. In the great bat- 



QuESTiONS.— 6. Accordingly what did lie do? On 
one occasion, what happened? AYhat was their fate? 
7. "What is said of Brookfield? At last what did they 
resolve? How were the flames extinguished? What 
arrived ? 8. After this, what is said of the war ? 
14* 



162 THE INDIAN WARS. 

tie knowK by the name of the Swamp fight, 
two hundred and thirty of the colonists were 
killed, while one thousand Indians are said to 
have perished, and five hundred of their wig- 
wams were reduced to ashes. At length, an 
end was put to these disasters by the death of 
Philip, in 1676 : he was shot by one of his own 
men, who had joined a party of the English, 
under the famous Captain Benjamin Church, 
and his young son was sold as a slave. 

9. Daring the winter of 1690, a party of 
Indians made an attack upon the village of 
Schenectady, in New York. The foe, with 
noiseless step, approached the town at the hour 
of midnight. The inhabitants were asleep, and 
the stillness of death reigned over the place. 
At a given signal the war-whoop was sounded. 
In an instant the inhabitants, aroused from 
their slumbers, started from their beds, but" 
were met at the door, and slaughtered by the 
savages. 

10. The houses were set on fire, and in a 
few minutes sixty of the inhabitants were 
killed, and many others made prisoners. A 
few attempted to escape, but they were with- 

Questions. —8. How many were killed in the Swamp 
fight? How was an end put to the war? 9. In 1690, 
what happened? What is said of the inhabitants ? By 
whom were they met? 10. What is said of the houses? 
IJow many were killed ? 



THE INDIAN" WARS. 163 

out clothing, and the weather was extremely 
cold ; they therefore endured incredible suffer- 
ing before they reached a place of security. 

11. A few years after this, a party of In- 
dians made an attack upon the town of Haver- 
hill, in Massachusetts. Among the inhabitanta 
of the town, there was a Mr. Dunstan, who, 
at the time, was engaged in the field at work. 
When the fierce cry of the savages reached his 
ears, he immediately hastened home to save 
his family. 

12. When he arrived at his dwelling, he saw 
the Indians approaching. Unfortunately, at 
the time, Mrs. Dunstan was sick, and unable 
to leave the house. In his fright and con- 
sternation, Mr. Dunstan knew not what to do; 
he had seven children ; he thought he might 
be able, at least, to save them; whereas, if he 
stopped to protect his wife, it would be certain 
destruction to them all. 

13. Therefore, leaving Mrs. Dunstan, with 
an infant of a few weeks old, together with 
her nurse, he mounted his horse, and telling 
his children to run before him, they all hast- 

QuESTiONS. — 10. What is said of those who at- 
tempted to escape? 11. A few years after this, what 
took place? Who was among the inhabitants ? What 
did he do? 12. What is said of Mrs. Dunstan? What 
plans did he think of? 13. Therefore, what did he do? 



164 THE INDIAN WARS. 

encd off to a place of safety. Some of tho 
savages pursued him for more than a mile; but 
luiving a gun, he defended himself and kept 
them at a distance. 

14. JSTo one can describe the trials and suf-. 
ferings which Mrs. Dunstan was destined to 
endure. Although very ill, the Indians com- 
pelled her, with her nurse and little infant, to 
go with them to their habitations in the 
gloomy forest, which were more than one 
hundred miles from Haverhill. It was win- 
ter, and the journey had to be performed on 
foot through the wilderness. 

15. Finding that the infant occupied much 
of the mother's attention, the savages snatched 
it from her arms, and killed it before her eyes, 
by striking its head against a tree. Mrs. Dun- 
stan and her nurse were now almost overcome 
by fatigue, but the Indians, without pity or 
remorse, hurried them along. It happened, 
on a certain occasion, that the two prisoners 
were left in charge of a few Indians, who, 
being much fatigued, fell asleep. Mrs. Dun- 
stan and her companion thought this a favor- 
able opportunity for gaining their liberty. 

Questions. —13. What did some of the savages do? 
14. What did the Indians do with Mrs. Dunstan? How 
did they travel ? 15. What did they do with the infant? 
What is said of Mrs. Dunstan and her nurse ? What 
happened? 



THE FRENCH WAR. 



165 



16. Accordingly, seizing a tomahawk, they 
killed these Indians, and thus made their es- 
cape. After wandering for some time through 
the wilderness, they arrived safely at Haver- 
hill and Mrs. Dunstan was again restored to 
her' family. In 1703 and 1704, the colony 
suffered from the attacks of the French and 
Indians, and Deerfield was again burned. In 
1725, the Indians ceased to trouble the colo- 
nists. 



CHAPTEE XXII. 

The French War and Conquest op 
Canada. 

1 At an early period after the discovery of 
America, the French had established colonies 
in different parts of the country. They had 
made settlements in Canada, extending along 
the Eiver Saint Lawrence to Lake Ontario, 
and had established several forts and tradmg 
houses on the shores of that lake, to protect 
and promote their trade with the Indians. 
They had also commenced a settlement on the 

Questions. -16. Accordingly, what did they do? 
Where did they arrive? What occurred in 1703 and 
1704 &c.? — 1. What took place at an early period? 
Where had they made settlements? Where had they 
also commenced a settlement? 



166 THE FRENCH WAR. 

Mississippi Eiver, and laid the foundation of 
the present city of 'New Orleans ; and having 
ascended the river, they laid claim to the 
beautiful and fertile valley through which it 
flows. 

2. The French had also built several trading 
houses and forts on the Ohio Eiver, and were 
endeavoring to connect their northern and 
southern possessions, by a chain of forts ex- 
tending from Lake Ontario to the Mississippi 
Eiver. As the boundary between the French 
and English colonies had never been settled, 
it was the subject of frequent disputes. It 
happened at this time, that a few individuals 
from Virginia established themselves on the 
Ohio Eiver, a short distance from the French 
settlements. As the French claimed this coun- 
try, they immediately seized the settlers and 
sent them prisoners to Canada. 

3. This conduct'on the part of the French 
alarmed the English, and called forth the 
most decisive measures. Eepeated complaints 
of violence being made to the governor of 
Virginia, he resolved to send a messenger to 
the commander of the French forces on the 
Ohio, to demand the cause of these hostile 

QUESTI0NS.-2. Where had~the French built, trading 
houses, &c.? What is said of the boundary? What 
happened ? What did the French do ? 3. What is said 
of this conduct ? What is said of the governor ? 



THE FRENCH WAR. 167 

proceedings, and to insist that he should 
evacuate the country. The choice of a person 
to perform this arduous duty, fell upon George 
Washington, the future deliverer of his coun- 
irj, and at that time in the twenty-first year 
of his age. Thus early did Washington begin 
that public career which has endeared his 
memory to every American, and rendered his 
name illustrious in every land. 

4. Before proceeding farther, we must give 
our young readers a short sketch of the early 
history of this illustrious man. George Wash- 
ington was born in Westmoreland County, 
Virginia, on the 22d of February, in the year 
1732. His father, whose name was Augustine, 
was a native of Virginia; but his great-grand- 
father had emigrated to this country, from 
England, in 1657. At an early age, he was 
sent to a school kept on his father's farm, and 
there finished his education at the age of fif- 
teen, under the direction of a Mr. Williams. 
He was well acquainted with English Gram- 
mar, Arithmetic, Geography, and Surveying; 
but he was not a Greek or Latin scholar. 

5. He was early distinguished for his great 

Questions. — 3. On whom did the choice fall? What 
is said of Washington ? 4. When and where Avas Wash- 
ington born? What is said of his father, &c. ? When 
was he sent to school? With what was he acquainted? 
6. For what was he early distinguished? 



168 THE FRENCH WAR. 

love of truth. It is related of hfm, that on 
one occasion his father gave him a small 
hatchet, with which, in his youthful sport, he 
destroyed a very valuable young apple-tree. 
His father, much displeased on seeing the in- 
jury done to the tree, inquired of the servants 
who had destroyed it, but no one could give 
him any information. Then turning to his 
son, he said: "George, do you know who de- 
stroyed that tree?" George ran to his fVither, 
and said: "Father, j^ou know that I cannot 
tell a lie; I did it with my hatchet." From 
this beautiful example of the youthful Wash- 
ington, let our young readers learn the vakie 
of Truth; let them learn to practise that 
lovely virtue, so bright an ornament in the 
character of youth. 

6. Washington, having received a letter 
from the governor of Virginia, departed on 
his perilous journey to the French settlement, 
a distance of about four hundred miles, through 
a wilderness inhabited by hostile savages. On 
his way, his horse failed, but he proceeded on 
foot with a gun in his hand, and a pack on 
his shoulders. On the twelfth of December, 

Questions. — 5. What is related of him? What did 
his father ask him? What did George reply? From 
this example, what should we learn, &c. ? 6. What did 
"Wnshington do ? What was the distance ? On the way, 
what happened ? When did he reach the French settle- 
ment? 



THE FRENCH WAR. 169 

he arrived at the French settlement, delivered 
the letter to the commander, and by the 
middle of January, had returned in safety with 
an answer to the governor of Yirginia. 

7. The reply not proving satisfactory, the 
governor of Virginia resolved to organize a 
regiment to support the claims of Great Britain 
over the disputed territory. Mr. Frc}^ was 
appointed colonel of this regiment, and young 
"Washington lieutenant-colonel, but on the 
death of Frey, which happened shortly after 
his appointment, the command devolved on 
A^ashington. Without delay, Washington 
marched forward at the head of a small force, 
to drive the French from a fort called Fort 
Du Qiiesne, which was situated at the junction 
of the Alleghany and Monongahela Eivers, 
where Pittsburg now stands. 

8. Before he reached the fort, he was in- 
formed that the garrison had been re-enforced, 
and that the French general, at the head of 
nine hundred men, was advancing against 
him. He therefore thought it prudent to fall 
back to a fort which he had previously thrown 
up; but before he was able to complete his 

Questions. — 7. What did the governor resolve? Who 
was appointed colonel ? On the death of Frey, what 
took place? What did Washington do? Where was the 
fort? 8. Of what was he informed? What did he 
think prudent? 
15 



170 



THE FRENCH WAR. 



defence, he was attacked by the French, and 
after a brave resistance of several hours, was 
compelled to yield on honorable terms of ca- 
pitulation. 

9. In the spring of the year 1754, General 
Braddock was sent from Ireland, with a large 
force, to support the British claims in America. 
Shortly after his arrival in Virginia, he was 
joined by the colonial troops under Washing- 
ton, and it was resolved to attack Fort Du 
Quesne. General Braddock was a brave man, 
but possessed no experience in the mode of 
Indian warfare. Washington, who acted as 
his aid-de-camp, asked permission to go for- 
ward with the provincial troops, and scour the 
woods; but Braddock rejected this prudent 
measure with contempt, saying "that it was 
high time indeed to begin, if he had to learn 
the science of war from a young buckskin." 

10. He marched incautiously forward, and 
when within a few miles of Fort Du Quesne, 
he fell into an ambuscade of French and 
Indians. The enemy, concealed behind rocks 
and trees, poured a heavy discharge of musket- 
ry npon the unprotected troops of Braddock; 

^Questions. — 8. What was he compelled to do? 9. In 

1754, what happened? By what was he joined? What 

is said of Braddock ? What did Washington ask ? What 

did Braddock reply? 10. How did he march? What 
is said of the enemy ? 



THE FKENCH WAR. 171 

the van was forced back upon the main body, 
and the whole army was thrown into disorder. 
A dreadful slaughter now ensued. Braddock 
did all that a brave general could do, but valor 
was unavailing. After an action of three 
hours, seven hundred of the English were left 
dead upon the field; Braddock himself, after 
having three horses shot under him, fell 
mortally wounded. Washington had two 
horses shot under him, and four bullets passed 
through his coat; yet he escaped unhurt. 

11. The next year, the English were more 
successful in their operations; they reduced 
Crown Point, Louisburg, and several other 
places; so that the city of Quebec was the 
only stronghold that remained in the hands 
of the French. Quebec was strongly fortified 
by nature, and defended by a garrison of ten 
thousand men, under the command of General 
Montcalm. The arduous duty of reducing 
this city was intrusted to the heroic General 
Wolfe. 

12. Wolfe, having made an unsuccessful as- 
sault . upon the city from the river, with in- 

QuESTioNs. — 10. Of the van? What ensued? What 
is said of Braddock? What was his fate? What is 
said of Washington? 11. The next year, what of the 
English? What places did they reduce? What is said 
of Quebec ? What duty was given to Wolfe ? 12. Where 
did Wolfe lead his army ? 



172 THE FRENCH WAR. 

credible labor led his army to an eminence on 
the north bank, called the Heights of Abra- 
ham. The enterprise was conducted with so 
much secrecy, that Montcalm had no intima- 
tion of it until Wolfe's army was arrayed on 
the heights above. A sanguinary battle en- 
sued, in which the French were defeated with 
an immense loss, and General Montcalm was 
numbered among the slain. 

13. At the same time, the British had to 
lament the loss of the heroic Wolfe, who fell 
in the moment of victory. This courageous 
man, having received a mortal wound, was 
carried to the rear of the army, where he 
caused himself to be raised, so that he might 
view the engagement. Faint with the loss of 
blood, he had reclined his head upon the arm 
of an officer, when he was aroused by these 
words: ''They fly, they fly!" "Who fly?" 
exclaimed the dying general. Being told that 
it was the enemy, he replied: "I die con- 
tented," and immediately expired. 

14. The last moments of Montcalm are 
equally remarkable. Being told that he could 

a ' ' ~ 

Questions.— 12. What is said of the enterprise? 
What ensued? What was the fate of Montcalm? 
13. What had the British to lament? Where was he 
carried? Faint with the loss of blood, what is related 
of him ? Being told, &c., what did he reply ? 14. What 
is said of Montcalm ? 



THE FKENCH WAR. 173 

only survive a few hours, he replied: "It is 
BO much the better; I shall not then live to 
see the surrender of Quebec." This battle 
was followed by the reduction of the city, and 
subsequently of all Canada; so that of all the 
territories claimed by France in America, JSTew 
Orleans and a few plantations on the Missis- 
sippi alone remained in her possession, A. D. 
1763. In the same year, Spain ceded Florida 
to Great Britain. 



QuKSTiONS. — 14. What did he reply? By what waa 
this battle followed? What occtlrred in 1763? 
15* 



UNITED STATES. 



CHAPTEE XXIII. 

The Eevolution. 

1. "We have seen in the preceding chapters 
that this country was settled by persons from 
different parts of Europe; we have read with 
feelings of emotion, the story of their trials, 
and their sufferings; we have seen them leav- 
ing their kindred, their home, and native 
clime, to seek an asj'lum from the iron grasp 
of tyranny in a land beyond the waters of the 
broad Atlantic. 

2. They landed upon a bleak and unknown 
shore; and in the trackless wilderness, sur- 
rounded by Indians, they commenced their 
settlements. Difficulty after difficulty yielded 
to their patience, courage, and perseverance; 
the forest fell before them, and smiling fields 
of plenty sprung up where, for ages before, 



Questions. — 1. What have we learned from the pre- 
ceding chapters in regard to the people who settled this 
country? Their trials, &c. ? 2. On landing, what were 
their difficulties, and what was their success ? 

174 



THE REVOLUTION". 175 

the Indian unmolested had pursued the buffalo 
and the deer. 

3. From a handful of adventurers, scattered 
along the sea-coast, they had grown to a 
nation, and at the period of which we are 
about to speak, the colonies contained three 
millions of inhabitants. The colonists, from 
their situation, had early learned the princi- 
ples of self-government, and had studied the 
maxims of civil and political liberty with 
more than ordinary care. They had learned 
too the science of war and of arms. We have 
seen with what manly courage they defended 
the rights of their parent country; we are 
now about to behold them in deadly strife with 
the veteran hosts of England, in defence of 
their own rights, their liberties, and their 
homes. 

4. Up to this period, the colonists cherished 
a warm affection for their mother country; 
and felt proud of their descent from and con- 
nection with one of the most powerful nations 
of Europe. The British Parliament, however, 
began to make encroachments upon their 
rights, and their liberties. The ministers of 



Questions. — 3. From a few, &c., what did they grow 
to? At that time what was the number of inhabitants? 
What had they early learned? What have we seen? 
4. What is said of the colonists ? What is said of the 
British Parliament ? 



176 UNITED STATES. 

the king, seeing the country very much in 
debt, advised bitn to raise money by taxing 
his subjects in America. The advice pleased 
his majesty, and accordingly a law was passed 
imposing duties upon various articles of mer- 
chandise imported to America. 

6. The people of America contended that 
they should not be taxed without their con- 
sent, and they opposed these measures. They 
used every means m their power to induce the 
king to change his conduct towards them: 
but their arguments were only answered by 
renewed acts of oppression. 

6. In 1765, the famous Stamp Act was passed 
by the British Parliament, by which all in- 
struments of writing in the American colonies, 
such as deeds, wills, &c., were null and void, 
unless drawn up on stamped paper, on which 
a duty was to be paid. The news of this meas- 
ure created the greatest excitement among 
the colonists. In the Assembly of Virginia, 
the patriotic Patrick Henry brought forward 
a number of spirited resolutions against it; 
and when the news reached Boston, the bells 
were muffled, and rang a funeral peal. In 

Questions.— 4. What did the ministers advise ? What 
law was passed? 5. What did the people do? What 
further? 6. In 1765, what was passed? What was the 
effect of this act? What did the news create? In Vir- 
ginia, what was done ? In Boston ? 



THE REVOLUTION. 177 

New York, the Act was carried through the 
streets with a death's head affixed to it, bear- 
ing this inscription : " The folly of England 
and the ruin of America." In Maryland, the 
agent for the sale of stamps was driven out 
of the colony. 

7. So great was the opposition to the Stamp 
Act, that it was repealed during the spring of 
1766; but in the following year, an act was 
passed imposing a duty on tea, paper, glass, 
and paint. This act was followed by another 
very unjust and arbitrary declaration, that all 
offenders in the colonies should be sent to 
England for trial; and in order to carry these 
measures into effect, two British regiments 
were sent over and quartered in Boston. 

8. The citizens were highly exasperated 
upon seeing themselves beset by foreign sol- 
diers, sent over with the design of forcing them 
to yield to the arbitrary acts of the British Par- 
liament. Frequent disputes occurred between 
the soldiers and the inhabitants of Boston, and 
during one of these quarrels, three of the cit- 
izens were killed, and five more dangerously 

Questions. — 6. In New York? In Maryland? 7. What 
is said of the Stamp Act ? What other duty was imposed ? 
By what was this act followed? What were sent over? 
8. What is said of the citizens? What frequently oc- 
curred ? 



178 UNITED STATES. 

wounded. Captain Preston and the soldiers, 
who fired on the people, were brought to trial 
and acquitted. The three citizens slain in this 
affray were buried with great honors, while the 
bells of the city were tolled. 

9. During the year 1771, the English Parlia- 
ment repealed the duties upon glass, paint, 
and paper, but retained a tax of three pence 
per pound on tea. The colonists resolved not 
to pay this very unjust duty. The inhabitants 
of JS^ew York and Philadelphia prevented the 
landing of the tea. In Boston, a party of men, 
disguised as Indians, went on board the vessels' 
and threw the tea, consisting of three hundred 
and forty chests, into the harbor. Two car- 
goes of tea that arrived in Maryland were sent 
back to England without being landed. The 
arrival of a third vessel with tea at Annap- 
olis, occasioned great indignation. The inhab- 
itants were about to destroy the vessel, when 
the captain, to save his credit, set fire to it 
himself, in the harbor, and destroyed both 
vessel and cargo. In Charleston, the tea was 
landed, but not permitted to be sold, and 



Questions. —8. What is said of Captain Preston, &c.? 
Of the three citizens? 9. In 1771, what took place? 
What tax was retained ? What is said of the inhab- 
itants of New York, &c.? What was done at Boston? 
In Maryland? At Annapolis? At Charleston ? 



THE REVOLUTION". 179 

went to decay in the cellars in which it was 
stored. 

10. When the news of the proceedings at 
Boston reached England, the Parliament grew 
highly indignant, and an act was immediately 
passed, ordering that port to be closed, and 
transferring the government to Salem. Not 
long after this transaction, General Gage ar- 
rived in Boston, with two regiments of sol- 
diers, and a great supply of military stores. 

11. By these proceedings, the Americans 
saw very plainly that it was the object of the 
British Government to force them into obedi- 
ence. They perceived that a crisis was ap- 
proaching ; they had done all they could do 
to prevent it; they had petitioned, they had 
entreated, they had cast themselves at the 
foot of the throne, to invoke its interposition 
to avert the tyranny of the British Parliament. 
But their petitions had been disregarded, and 
their prayers treated with contempt. 

12. At length, the spirit of the nation was 
roused, and the people resolved to resist the 
oppression of England; they determined to 
unsheathe the sword, and go forth to the field 

Questions. — 10. What did the Parliament do? After 
this, who arrived in Boston? 11. What is said of the 
Americans? What had they done? What is said of 
their petitions? 12. At length, what did they resolve? 
What did they determine ? 



180 UNITED STATES. 

of battle, to shed their blood in the defence 
of their rights, and in the support of the 
sacred cause of liberty. 

13. A regular enlistment of soldiers was 
commenced, and officers were appointed. Del- 
egates from all 'the colonies met in council at 
Philadelphia; this body, generally known by 
the name of the Continental Congress, agreed 
to suspend all intercourse with Great Britain, 
drew up an address to the king, another to 
the people of England, and a third to the 
colonies. When the news of the proceedings 
of the Continental Congress reached England, 
Massachusetts was declared in a state of rebel- 
lion, and a large body of troops was sent 
over to Boston, to suppress it. 

14. In this state of things, nothing was 
wanting but some favorable opportunity to 
manifest the feelings of the people; and as 
they acted on the defensive, they were anxious 
that when the contest should commence, the 
British might be the aggressors. About 
eighteen miles from Boston, there was a small 
village by the name of Concord: at this place 
the Americans had some military stores. 



Questions. — 13. What was commenced? What did I 
the Continental Congress do? When the news reached j 
England, what was done ? 14. In this state of things, 
what is said? For what were they anxious? Where 
had the Americans some stores ? ' 



THE REVOLUTION". 181 

These General Gage resolved to destroy, and 
for this purpose sent eight hundred soldiers 
to Concord, under the command of Major 
Pitcairn, on the evening of the 18th of April, 
1775. 

15. As they marched through Lexington, 
they were met by a party of American militia, 
who had assembled on an open plain for the 
for the purpose of opposing their march. Ma- 
jor Pitcairn, riding up to them, cried out, 
*' Disperse, you rebels!" and then discharging 
his pistol, ordered his men to fire. Four or 
five of the Americans were kiUed and several 
others wounded. Thus was shed the first 
blood in that memorable contest, the war of 
the Revolution, which finally resulted in se- 
curing the liberty and establishing the Inde- 
pendence of America. 

16. After this, the royal troops proceeded 
to Concord and destroyed the military stores. 
The British then attempted to cut off the ap- 
proach of the Americans by destroying the 
bi:idges; but at Concord bridge they were op- 
posed by the Americans, and a slight action 
took place, which resulted in the retreat of 

Questions. — 14. What did General Gage resolve to 
do, &c. ? 15. At Lexington what took place? What did 
Pitcairn do ? How many of the Americans were killed ? 
16. What did the royal troops do? What took place at 
Concord bridge? 
16 



182 UNITED STATES. 

the English, with a loss of several killed and 
wounded. Major Pitcairn, alarmed at the 
courage of the Americans, and deeming it un- 
safe to remain any longer at Concord, imme- 
diatel}^ commenced his march to Boston. 

17. In the mean time, the news of the affair 
at Concord spread with rapidity through the 
country, and the people in a mass flew to arms. 
They attacked the retreating troops on every 
Bide; a constant fire was kept up from behin'd 
trees, walls, and rocks, until the British reached 
Lexington, when they were joined by a body 
of troops from Boston, which secured their re- 
treat to that city. During this transaction, 
the British lost sixty-five in killed, and one 
hundred and eighty wounded. The Ameri- 
cans lost fifty killed, and thirty-four wounded. 

18. The affair at Concord was considered by 
the Americans as the signal for hostilities. 
The}^ immediately secured the forts, maga- 
zines, and arsenals within the limits of the 
colonies; and Congress passed a resolution 
for raising thirty thousand men in New Eng- 
land. The excitement of the people was in- 
tense, and they readily responded to the call. 

Questions. — 16. What was done by Major Pitcairn? 
17. Meantime, what look place? How did they attack 
the troops ? What was the loss on both sides ? 18. What 
is said of the affair at Concord ? What did they secure? 
What did Congress do? 



THE REVOLUTION. 183 

19. It is related of an aged farmer near Cam- 
bridge, that, seeing his son about to start with 
a company of other lads, he said : " Young 
men, may God be with you all; and you, my 
son John, if you must fight, fight like a man ; 
if not, never let me see you again." When 
the news of what had taken place at Lexing- 
ton reached General Putnam, he was plough- 
ing in the field'. He immediately stopped his 
team, and leaving his plough in the unfinished 
furrow, mounted his horse and j)roceeded with 
rapidity to Boston. 

20. Before proceeding further, we must in- 
form our young readers that by far the greater 
part of the Americans about to engage in the 
battle for freedom, were farmers and mechan- 
ics, men who knew but little about the art 
of war. Buttheir cause was just; their rights 
had been invaded, their liberties were in dan- 
ger, and the soil of their countr^^ had already 
been watered by the blood of their fellow-citi- 
zens. 

21. The country at that time was poor, the 
cities were small, and trade was limited; and 
the population of the entire thirteen colonies 
was only about three millions of human beings, 

Questions. — 19. What is related? What is said of 
General Putnam ? 20. What were the greater part of 
the Americans ? What is said of their cause ? 21. What 
is said of the country ? 



1S4 UNITED STATES. 

exclusive of the Indians. Yet, under all these 

disadvantages, our illustrious ancestors resolved 
to engage in a deadly struggle with one of the 
most powerful nations of the earth. The En- 
glish had large armies, a thousand ships, and 
an abundance of military stores. Of all these 
the Americans were destitute. They knew, 
however, that the race is not always to the 
swift, nor the battle to the strong; but to 
the active, the courageous, the brave. They 
knew there is a just God, who presides over 
the destinies of nations, and poises in His 
hand the fate of empires. In Him they put 
their trust, and under the approving smile of 
His protection, they went forth to battle. 

22. Towards the close of May, in 1775, a con- 
siderable re-enforcement of British troops ar- 
rived in Boston, under the command of Gen- 
erals Howe, Clinton, and Burgoyne. The 
Americans were anxious to get possession of 
Boston, and for that purpose a detachment of 
one thousand men was sent to occupy Bunker 
Hill; but by some mistake they proceeded to 
Breed's Hill, an eminence much nearer the 
city, and there commenced to throw up an in- 

QuESTiONs. — 21. Yet what did our ancestors resolve? 
What had the English ? What did the Americans know ? 
22. In 1775, what arrived? For what wei-e the Ameri- 
cans -anxious ? What did they do ? 



THE REVOLUTION". 185 

trenchment. At midnight they commenced 
their operations, and their movements were 
conducted with so much silence, that the Eng- 
lish had no intimation of their design until the 
return of morning. 

23. During the morning, Colonel Prescott 
received a re-enforcement of five hundred men, 
and about noon General Gage sent two thou- 
sand men to drive the Americans from their 
works. As they were advancing to the attack, 
Charlestown was set on fire. The devouring 
element spread from house to house, and soon 
the entire town was enveloped in flames. It 
was now the 17th of June, and the day was 
extremely warm. The British advanced to- 
wards Breed's Hill, and the Americans remain- 
ed behind their intrenchments, ready to receive 
them. 

24. The moment was one of the deepest 
interest. The steeples and houses of Boston, 
together with the surrounding hills, were cov- 
ered with a multitude of persons. Some there 
were, who, with uplifted hands, invoked the 
blessing of heaven upon the cause of the Ameri- 
cans, among whom, perhaps, they had a hus- 

QuESTiONS. — 22. When did they commence their op- 
erations? 23. What did Prescott receive? At noon, 
■what was done ? What town was set on fire ? What 
day of the month? 24. What is said of the moment? 
What did some do? 
16* 



186 UNITED STATES. 

band, a father, a brother, or a fond and de- 
voted friend. Others again, perhaps, secretly 
wished success to the British ; while all gazed 
with breathless silence upon the scene. 

25. The stillness of death rested on the 
American lines, until the English approached 
within a few rods of their works; then, at a 
given signal, they poured forth a sudden and 
destructive shower of balls upon the enemy. 
So fatal was this volley, that the British in- 
stantly turned and retreated hastily to their 
boats. They were soon rallied, and again re- 
turned to the attack, bat a second time they 
were obliged to retreat. A third time they 
were brought to the charge: the contest now 
raged with intense fury on both sides; the 
Americans, having exhausted all their powder, 
fought for some time with the butt-ends of i 
their muskets, and finally yielded their in- 
trench men ts. 

26. In this battle, the British lost one thou- 
sand and fifty-four in killed and wounded, 
while the Americans lost four hundred and 
fifty-three. The British officers were aston- . 
ished at the result; they had formerly des- ^ 

Questions.— 24. Others again? 25. What is said? 

What is said of the charge? What did they again do? 

What is now said of the contest? Of the Americans? 

•26. What was the loss on each side? What is said of 

British officers 



THE REVOLUTION". 187 

pised the Americans, but now thejwere taught 
at least to respect their heroic valor. On the 
part of the Americans, the effect was renewed 
courage and confidence. They were repulsed, 
it is true, but it was only for the want of am- 
munition. They found that in an equal con- 
test they could beat the English regulars. 

27. Although the Americans were partially 
successful in this memorable battle, yet they 
had to lament the loss of many of their brave 
associates. Among the slain was the patriotic 
General Warren. This distinguished man was 
endeared to his companions in arms by his 
amiable disposition and heroic courage, and 
was loved and esteemed by all, on account of 
his true and disinterested patriotism. While 
the battle raged in its greatest fury, Warren 
was seen in the midst of his countrymen, ani- 
mating them by his presence and example. 
While thus engaged, a British officer, who 
knew him, took a gun from the hand of a 
soldier, and shot him through the head. 

28. At this time the Continental Congress 
was in session in Philadelphia ; that body re- 
solved on immediate measures of defence. 
They began to organize an army, and unani- 

QuESTiONS. — 26. How did it inspire the Americans? 
27. Wlio was among the slain? What is said of him? 
While the battle raged, what did he do ? How was he 
killed? 28. Where was Congress in session? 



188 UNITED STATES. 

monsly elected George Washington, a member 
of their body from Virginia, as commander-in- 
chief of the American forces. Washington 
received the appointment with much diffidence, 
but, entering without delay upon the duties 
of his office, he, on the second of July, joined 
the army at Cambridge. 

29. With a view of guarding the frontier, a 
plan was devised for the invasion of Canada, 
and accordingly a body of troops, under Gen- 
erals Schuyler and Montgomerj^, was sent into 
that country. But General Schuyler being 
detained b}" sickness, the chief command de- 
volved on General Montgomery, who pushed 
forward on his expedition, took Fort Chambly, 
and the city of Montreal, which surrendered 
without resistance, and planted his victorious 
standard before the very walls of Quebec. 

30. A second division was sent forward un- 
der General Arnold, and the two generals in 
conjunction made an attack upon the city of 
Quebec. It was the last day of December, and 
the cold was intense. Montgomery advanced 
at the head of his men, animating them by his 

Questions. — 28. Who was elected as commander- 
in-chief? When and where did he join the army? 
29 Who were sent to. Canada? What is said of General 
Schuyler? What did Montgomery do? 30. Under whom 
was a second division sent? What city did they attack? 
What is said of Montgomery ? 



THE REVOLUTION. 189 

presence, and with his own hand assisted in 
, cutting a way through the ice and snow. At 
length, waving his sword, he rushed forward, 
followed b}^ his soldiers. A single discharge 
was heard from the battery, the gunners fled, 
and in a few moments the walls of. Quebec 
were in the possession of the Americans. 

31. But, unfortunately, as they entered the 
cit}^, a ball discharged from a neighboring 
house proved fatal to the brave Montgomery ; 
he fell cheering his men to the combat. At 
the same time. General Arnold, who had made 
an attack upon another part of the city, was 
wounded by a cannon ball. After the fall of 
Montgomery, the officer next in command 
ordered his men to retreat. 

32. No man fell during the Eevolutionary 
contest M^hose death was more lamented than 
that of the heroic Montgomery. He engaged 
in the American cause from principles of the 

* purest patriotism. He had left the enjoyment 
I of ease, and the highest domestic happiness, 
;; in Ireland, his native land, to share the toils 
' and dangers of a war undertaken to defend 
the rights of a country of which he was only 
. an adopted citizen. 

I * Questions. —30. What did the gunners do, &c. ? 
'. 31. As they entered the city, what happened? Whathap- 
i pened to Arnold ? 32. What is said of the fall of Mont- 
■k gomery ? What did' he leave ? 



190 UNITED STATES. 

83. About this time, General Washington} 
formed the design of driving tlie Bi-itish from 
Boston. Accordingly, he erected a battery on 
Dorchester Heights, a situation that gave liim 
complete command of the city. General Howe, 
finding it impossible to remove the Americans! 
from their position, evacuated Boston on the^ 
17th of March, and embarked with his troops: 
for Halifax. On the same day, General Wash-; 
ington entered the city amidst the joyous ac- 
clamations of the inhabitants. ' 



CHAPTEE XXIY. 

The Declaration of Independence. | 

1. We have seen in the preceding chapter 
that the patriots of the Eevolution, at the 
commencement of the contest, only contended 
for their rights as British subjects ; but now, | 
seeing that there was no choice left them but; 
that of absolute freedom or degrading slavery, ! 
they began to assume a loftier position. The | 
subject of Independence began to be openly ! 

Questions. — 33. What is said of Washington? What f 
did he do? When did the British leave Boston? On 
the same day ?— 1. What have we seen ? For what had 
they contended ? What is said of Independence ? 



THE REVOLUTION. 191 

discussed; and, at length, they resolved to 
sever entirely the connection which bound 
them to the mother country. 

2 Accordingly, on the 7th of June, a mo- 
tion was made in Congress, by Eichard Henry 
Lee, of Virginia, to declare the colonies free 
and' independent: and at the same time, a 
committee, consisting of Thomas Jefferson, 
John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Eoger Sher- 
man, and Eobert Livingston, was appointed 
to prepare a declaration. 

3. On the memorable 4th of July, 1776, the 
report of that committee was adopted by the 
Continental Congress, and the thirteen con- 
federate colonies were declared to be free and 
independent States, and at the same time all 
connection between them and Great Bntaiu 
forever dissolved. The first important battle 
^fouo'ht after the Declaration of Independence, 
was^that of Long Island, in which the Ameri- 
[ cans were repulsed, with a loss of about four 
hundred men. 

t 4 At this time an incident occurred which 
' exhibits the spirit of General Washington. 
: Letters were directed to him by General Howe, 

Questions. -What did they resolve? 2. On the 7th 
, of June, what was done? At the same time whatjas 
' done'? 3. What took place on the 4lh of July, l//b.' 
; Where was the first battle after the Declaration of Inde- 
pendence ? 4. What incident occurred ? 



192 UNITED STATES. 

the commander of the British forces; but as 
these letters were directed to George Washing- 
ton, and not to him in his official capacity, he 
refused to receive them. And when Colonel 
Patterson, the bearer of the letters, said that 
the}^ were of great importance, and contained 
offers of pardon, &c.. General "Washington very 
calmly replied that the Americans had com- 
mitted no wrong, and therefore wanted no par- 
don ; they were only defending their rights 
and their liberties. 

6. Shortly after the battle of Long Island, 
General Howe entered the city of New York 
and the Americans retired to White Plains, 
where a severe action took place with consid- 
erable loss on both sides. The limits of our 
little, history will not permit us to relate all 
that happened during this eventful j^eriod ; we 
will have to confine ourselves to a few of the 
most important events. 

G. During this war, the British hired soldiers 
to fight ao-ainst the Americans; anions these 
were a great number of troops from Hesse in 
Germany, who were called Hessians. A 
large detachment of these Hessians were sta- 

QuESTiONS. — 4. What is said of these letters? What 
reply did Washington make to Patterson? 5. What is 
said of General Howe ? Of the Americans? What took 
place at White Plains? 6. What did the British do dur- 
ing the war ? 



THE EEVOLUTION". 193 

^tioned at Trenton ; while the Americans were 
encamped on the Pennsylvania side of the 
^Delaware Eiver. On the twenty-fifth of De- 
■cember, General Washington, with a select 
■body of men, crossed the Delaware, attacked 
■the Hessians, and took nine hundred of them 
prisoners. 

" 7. He then proceeded to Princeton, and on 
the third of January, 1777, defeated a body 
of the British, with the loss of one hundred 
I men, and compelled the remainder, about three 
I'hundred in number, to surrender themselves 
j>as prisoners of Avar. In this action, General 
Mercer, of Virginia, was killed. 



CHAPTER XXY. 



The Battle of Brandywine — Surrender 
, OF Burgoyne — The Arrival of Aid from 
, France — The Destruction op the Set- 
, .J, tlement of Wyoming. 

1. It had been for some time the object of 
General Howe to get possession of Philadel- 
phia. For this purpose he left New York 

' Questions.— 6. Where was a detacliment of these 
Stationed ? On 25th of December, what did Washington 
do? 7. What did he then do? In this action, who was 
l^illed? — 1. What had been the object of Howe? 
17 



194: UNITED STATES. 

• 

with a fleet carrjing about sixteen thousand 
men, entered the Chesapeake Bay, and having 
landed his troops near the head of Elk Eiver, 
commenced his march to Philadelphia. 

2. General Washington, who closely watched 
his movements, hastened to oppose his pro- 
gress with a much inferior force. On the 11th 
of September, the two armies met on the banks 
of the river Brandywine. A severe battle fol- 
lowed, in which the Americans were repulsed 
with considerable loss. This battle is rendered 
memorable for being the first in which the Mar- 
quis de Lafayette and Pulaski were engaged, 
the former of whom was wounded. 

3. Lafayette was a young French nobleman. 
He left liis country and his home in order to 
assist the Americans, engaged in the defence 
of their rights and their liberties. He fought 
bravely and successfully during the war, and 
returned with honor to his native land. 

4. The brave and patriotic Pulaski was a 
native of Poland. Disgusted at the tyranny 
that weighed upon his native country, he re- 
solved to forsake the land of his fathers, and 
to devote his life to the cause of liberty in a 

Questions. — 1. For this purpose what did he do? i 
2. What is said of Washington? What took place on i 
the llth of September? For what is this battle mem- ; 
orable? 3. Who was Lafayette? How did he fight? 
4. Who was Pulaski? What is said of him ? ' 



THE REVOLUTION". 195 

foreio'Ti clime. He accordingly came to America, 
;to assist the countrymen of Washington in 
igainino; their independence; and after spend- 
ing about two years in this noble cause, he fell 
)a sl\crifice to his patriotism at Savannah, when 
-that city was attacked by General Lincoln. 

5. After the battle of Brandywine, the 
'British general directed his march to Phila- 
idelphia, and took possession of that city. 
While these operations were going on in the 
L Middle States, more auspicious events were 
■ takino; place in the north. General Burgoyne, 
J who c^ommanded the British in that quarter, 
had crossed the Hudson and encamped near 
. Saratoga. General Gates, who commanded 
cthe Anierican army in the north, resolved, if 
i possible, to intercept the progress of Burgoyne. 
] On the 18th of September, a severe engage- 
i ment took place at Stillwater, near Saratoga. 
6. On the 7th of October, the memorable 
I battle of Saratoga took place. While the bat- 
tle raged in all its fury. General Gates, who 
• was commander-in-chief, is said to have re- 
i mained quietly in his tent, conversing with a 

Questions. — 4. Whatwas his fate ? 5. What did the 
British general do? What was taking place in the 
north' What did General Burgoyne do? Who com- 
manded the Americans in the north? On the 18th of 
September, what took place ? 6. On the 7th of October 
what took place? While the battle raged, what is said 
of General Gates ? 



196 UNITED STATES. 

British officer. The victory was obtained by 
the courage and intrepidity of General Arnold. 
Arnold, mounted on a splendid charger, seemed 
to be everywhere almost at the same moment, 
animating his men to the charge. At length, j 
the gallant horse that had borne him safely i 
through scenes of blood and fire was killed ! 
under him; at the same time Arnold fell se- 
verely wounded, in the moment of victory, i 
As he was carried bleeding from the field, he I 
exclaimed : " The battle is ours ; Saratoga is j 
won ! ' ! 

7. The situation of Burgoyne was now ex- j 
tremely critical. His splendid army of ten | 
thousand men was defeated in several engage- j 
ments, and reduced to nearly half its number. | 
But still he was too proud to submit to his i 
fate. At length, seeing his position growing ! 
hourly more critical, he called a council of | 
war, and it was resolved to surrender by ca- | 
pitLilation. i 

8. Accordingly, on the 17th of October, he i 
surrendered his whole army, amounting to ! 
nearly six thousand men, to General Gates,' as | 
prisoners of war. Among the many valuable ' 
— j 

Questions. — 6. By whom was the victory gained? I 
What is said of Arnold? At length, what happened? 
What did he exclaim? 7. What is said of Burgoyne ? 
Of his army ? At length, what did he do ? 8. On the ' 
17th of October, what took place ? ■ I 



THE REVOLUTION. 197 

articles obtained by this surrender, were forty- 
two pieces of cannon, seven thousand mus- 
kets, a vast supply of shot, shells, tents, and 
military stores. 

9. This event diffused universal joy among 
the Americans, and inspired them with re- 
Hewed ardor in the cause of freedom. During 
the previousyear, three commissioners had been 
sent to Europe to obtain aid and alliance from 
foreign powers. At first they were unsuccess- 
ful, but at last they obtained the promise of 
assistance from Louis XVI., king of France ; 
and in July, 1778, to the great joy of the 
whole American people, a French fleet arrived 
at the mouth of the Delaware. The fleet, 
however, effected nothing of importance for 
the time being, and toward the close of the 
season it sailed to the West Indies. 

10. About this time happened an event, for 
which there can scarcel}^ be found a parallel 
of cruelty and barbarity on the page of his- 
tory. On the banks of the Susquehanna, in 
the present county of Luzerne, Pennsylvania, 
were situated the beautiful settlement andvil- 

QuESTioxs. — 8. What were some of the articles ob- 
tained by this surrender? 9. What is said of this 
event ? During the previous year, what had been done ? 
At last what did they obtain ? In July what took place ? 
What is said of the fleet? 10. What happened about 
this time ? Where was Wyoming situated ? 
17* 



198 UNITED STATES. 

lage of Wyoming. Here about one thousand 
families lived joyful and happy, while indus- 
try and frugality added to their prosperity. 

11. A party of Tories, with a band of about 
four hundred Indians, resolved on the destruc- 
tion of this beautiful vale. The inhabitants 
were apprised of the danger, but too late t6 
make any adequate defence. They, however, 
threw up a rude fortification, with a resolution 
to defend their homes and their families; and 
in this they might have been successful, had 
it not been for the vile stratagem of their 
heartless foes. 

12. Before arriving at Wyoming, the Tories 
sent a messenger to the fort, stating that they 
would not do the inhabitants any injury, but 
wished to hold a conference with them a short 
distance from the village. Without suspecting 
the treacherous designs of his enemies. Colonel 
Butler, the commander of the fort, leaving be- 
hind him a small force, set out with the maiu 
bod}^ of his men to meet them. 

13. They marched with the messenger into 
a thick and gloomy forest ; here they were 
suddenly surrounded by the Tories and Indians 

Questions.— 10. What is said of it? 11. What did 
the Tories, &c., do? The inhabitants? What further? 
12. Before, &c., what did the Tories do? What did Col- 
onel Butler do? 13. Where did they march? Hero 
what happened ? 



THE REVOLUTION. 199 

to the number of sixteen hundred, and most 
inhumanly massacred. Out of four hundred 
men that left the fort, only sixty escaped. 
The enemy then hastened to attack the forti- 
fications which had been recently thrown up; 
and on arriving^ there they threw over the 
walls the bleeding scalps of the murdered men. 
Finding resistance useless, those within deter- 
mined to surrender, and asked the Tory com- 
mander what terms he would give them. He 
answered — the hatchet. 

14. A few moments more and the horrid 
work was completed. The men were mur- 
dered, and the women, with infants in their 
arms, were locked up in their houses, or en- 
closed in the fort, and the whole consumed in 
one awful conflagration. The groans of the 
dying and the shrieks of the living were only 
answered by the imprecations of the Tories, 
and the deafening war-whoop of the savages. 

Questions. — 13. How many escaped? What did the 

enemy then do ? What did they ask ? What did he 

reply ? 14. What happened to the men ? The women? 
What further ? 



200 UNITED STATES. 



CHAPTEE XXVI. 

Gates' Defeat — The Treachery of Gen- 
eral Arnold — The Surrender op Lord 

CORNWALLIS AT YORKTOWN. 

1. During the year 1779, the theatre of the 
war was changed from the northern to the 
southern provinces of the country. Charles- 
ton, the capital of South Carolina, was taken 
by the British after a siege of six months, and 
having reduced the capital, they began to 
carry devastation into the interior of the 
State. 

2. In order to check the progress of the 
enemy, the Americans formed themselves into 
small parties, under Generals Sumter, Marion, 
and other leaders. The bold and patriotic 
deeds of these noble men have always been a 
theme of admiration. They fought without 
pay : they wore no uniform, and they depended 
on chance for food to eat. They were often 
without arms and ammunition, and were obliged 
to watch, as their companions shot down the 
enemy, when they would instantly seize their 

Questions. — ]. What took place during the year 
1779? What is said of Charleston? 2. What did the 
Americans do ? What is said of their deeds? How did 
they fight? What were they often without? 



THE REVOLUTION. 201 

mnskets and cartridges. But all this they 
jo^'fally endured, because they were contend- 
ing for the rights of their country, the liberty 
of their children, and those blessings of free- 
dom which we enjoy. 

3. On a certain occasion, a British officer 
was sent from Georgetown to negotiate an ex- 
change of prisoners, and was conducted to 
General Marion's quarters. He was kindly 
received and politely entertained by the gen- 
eral, and having concluded his business, was 
about to retire, when Marion invited him to 
dine with him. To this the officer readily con- 
sented. Dinner was immediately ordered, 
which consisted of a few roasted sweet pota- 
toes, piled upon a piece of bark ; they were 
,placed between Marion and the British officer, 
who were seated upon a log. 
, 4. As the officer took one of the potatoes, 
jhe broke forth into a fit of laughter, but im- 
^mediately apologized, saying: "Pardon me, 
i general: I was only laughing at what I 
(thought some of my brother officers would 
I say if such poor fare were set before them. 
But, general," continued the officer, "if your 
,fare is bad, your pay is good." ^ 

Questions. — 2. Why did they joyfully endure all 

Hhis? 3. On one occasion, what took place? What did 

' Marion invite him to do? Of what did the dinner con- 

' Bist? 4. What is related of the officer? What did he 

Bay ? What did he add ? 



202 UNITED STATES. 

5. "Pay!" exclaimed Marion; "we receive 
no pay, and never expect to receive a cent." 
The officer was so struck with what he had 
seen and heard, that on his return to George- 
town he resigned his commission and retired 
from the service, saying that it was useless to 
contend with men who made such sacrifices to 
maintain their liherty. 

6. It happened at this time that the com- 
mand of the southern army was intrusted to 
General Gates, the hero of Saratoga, who was 
sent into South Carolina. Gates was brave, 
but imprudent ; he led his army through a 
dreary and barren part of the country, and 
many of his men died on the route, from dis- 
ease, fatigue, and want. At length, he arrived 
near Camden, and took up a very unfavorable 
position between two swamps. 

7. In the mean 1>ime, Lord Cornwallis, learn- 
ing his position, hastened to join Lord Eaw- 
don with re-enforcements, and on the 16th of 
August a severe engagement took place. At the 
first charge of the British, the Virginia troops 
under General Gates fled, and spread confusion 
and disorder among the North Carolina militia. 

Questions. — 5. What did Marion reply? What is 
said of the officer? 6. What happened at this time? 
What is said of Gates ? Where did he take up his po- 
sition? 7. What is said of Cornwallis? At the first 
charge, what is said ? 



THE REVOLUTION". 203 

Gates was struck with consternation ; all his 
former courage seemed to have forsaken him; 
and seeing the disorder of his men, he put 
spurs to his horse and fled with the utmost 
speed for eighty miles before he stopped. 

8. After the flight of Gates, the battle was 
maintained by the illustrious Baron De Kalb, 
who, for some time, bravely repulsed the ad- 
vancing battalions of the enemy. De Kalb 
was a distinguished Prussian general, who, 
like Lafi\yette, Pulaski, and others, left his 
home and came to this country to aid the 
Americans in gaining their independence. 

9 In this battle, he commanded the regular 
troops of Maryland and Delaware, and like a 
true hero, bravely maintained his position un- 
til, overpowered by numbers and surrounded 
by the eneni}^, he fell pierced with eleven 
wounds. His soldiers, who tenderly loved him, 
gathered around their fallen general, and fought 
with desperation over his bleeding form, ex- 
claiming, in the bitterness of their grief, ''Save 
the Baron De Kalb!" 

10. The noble conduct of De Kalb elicited 
the admiration even of the enemy. To a 



Questions.— 7. What is related of Gates? 8. After 
the flight of 'Gates, by whom was the battle maintained? 

I What is said of De Kalb? 9. What did he command? 

' What is said of him? What did his soldiers do, and ex- 
claim ? 



204 UNITED STATES. 

British officer, who kindly endeavored to stop 
the blood that flowed from his wounds, he said : 
" I thank you for your generous sympathy, but 
I die the death I always prayed for — the 
death of a soldier, fighting for the rights of 
man." 

11. During this year, the sorrow of the na- 
tion was increased by the treachery of Gen- 
eral Arnold. The Americans could bear with 
becoming fortitude the defeat of their armies, 
the death of their officers, and the loss of their 
soldiers : these things were in the nature of 
events — they were the chances of war. But 
never for a moment did they imagine that 
there was one among their small number capa- 
ble of betraying his country. 

12. Can it be possible, they asked them- 
Belves again and again, — can it be possible 
that he who fought and bled for his country, 
the hero of Saratoga's bloody field, — that Gen- 
eral Arnold is a traitor^ Alas! the fact was 
only too true. 

13. General Washington being called to 
Connecticut, left the important fortress of 
"West Point under the command of Arnold. 
During his absence, Arnold resolved to deliver 

Questions. — 10. To a British officer, what did he 
say? 11. During the year, what is said? What is said 
of the Americans? 12. What had they thought of 
Arnold? 13. What is said of General Washington? 
What did Arnold resolve ? 



THE REVOLUTION. 205 

'up the fortress, with all its garrison, into the 
hands of the British. The British agent 
through whom the negotiation was conducted 
was the unfortunate Major Andre. After 
having an interview with the traitor, Andre 
was returning to New York, when he was 
detected by three Americans, and thus the 
treacherous designs of Arnold were fortunately 
'discovered before they could be carried into 
I execution. 

14. The names of the three Americans who 
detected Andre, were John Paulding, David 
Williams, and Isaac Yan Wart. On searching 

^him, they found a drawing of the fort and 

other papers, in Arnold's own handwriting, 

concealed in one of his boots. Andre offered 

[ them his gold watch and a large sum of money 

^ if they would let him go, but they refused his 

' offers, and led him in triumph to the American 

camp. 

15. Andre was tried by a court-martial, and 
being convicted as a spy, his life was forfeited 

„ by the laws of war. His youth and many 

amiable qualities endeared him to the officers 

] of the British army, while his fate was deeply 

, Questions. — 13. Who was the British agent? After 

j, having an interview, &c., what happened to Andre? 

] 14. What are the names of the three Americans? 

Where did they find his papers? What did he ofifer 

them ? is: What is said of Andre ? His youth, &c. ? 

18 



206 UNITED STATES. 

regretted by all. Arnold escaped to New 
York, and received, as the reward of his 
treachery, an appointment as brigadier-gen- 
eral in the British array. 

16. During the summer of 1781, the British 
forces in the south were greatly weakened by 
the loss of several important battles. Colonel 
Tarleton, the British commander, was defeated 
by the- Americans, under General Morgan, in 
the battle of the Cowpens; and Colonel Stewart 
was attacked by General Greene at the battle 
of Eutaw Springs. After this battle, Lord 
Cornwallis left South Carolina and fortified 
himself at Yorktown in Yirginia. 

17. General Washington, learning the posi- 
tion of Cornwallis, secretly left his camp at 
White Plains, crossed the. Hudson with his 
army, and passing rapidly through New Jersey 
and Pennsylvania, arrived at the head of Elk 
Eiver, where he was joined by a considerable 
re-enforcement under Marquis De Lafayette. 
Without losing a moment, AYashington em- 
barked his forces and arrived at Yorktown. 

18. Here, a close siege was commenced, and 

Questions. — 15. What became of Arnold ? IG. What 
is said of the Britisk forces? Where and by whom was 
Tarleton defeated? By whom was Stewart attacked? 
Where did Cornwallis fortify himself? 17. What is said 
of General Washington ? By whom was he joined? 
18. Here what was commenced ? • 



THE REVOLUTION. 207 

jarried on with so much vigor by the united 
brces of France and America, that Lord Corn- 
wallis, on the 19th of October, was compelled 
to sign articles of capitulation, by which his 
whole army, his shipping, and military stores, 
were surrendered to General Washington. 

19. This event spread universal joy among 
the Americans. General Washington ordered 
divine service to be performed in the different 
brigades of the army, and the members of 
Cono:ress went in procession to church, and 
there publicly offered up thanks to God for 
the signal triumph of the American arms. 

20. This event may be considered as the 
termination of the American struggle for in- 
dependence. Great Britain, seeing that no 
rational hope remained of conquering America, 
resolved to discontinue a war which had re- 
flected only discredit upon her arms. Accord- 
ingly, on the 3d of September, 1783, a definite 
treaty of peace was concluded at Versailles, 
by which the thirteen United Colonies were 
admitted to be ''Free, Sovereign, and Independ- 
ent States." 

I 21. After this, the patriot army was dis- 

I Questions.— 18. What was Cornwallis compelled to 
■■ do? 19. What is said of this event? What did Wash- 
: ington order? What did Congress do? 20. What may 

this event he considered ? What is said of Great Bri- 
i tain ? In September, 1783, what took place ? 21. What 

took place -after this ? 



208 UNITED STATES. 

banded, and General Washington, taking an 
affectionate leave of the soldiers and officers 
who had fought by his side, resigned his com- 
mission at Annapolis in Marj^land, and again 
retired to his estate at Mount Yernon, carrjino- 
with him into the retirement of private life 
the gratitude of his country and the applause 
and admiration of the whole world. 



CHAPTEE XXYII. 

The Formation of the Constitution 

Washington Elected the First Presi- 
dent 

1. At the close of the war it was found that 
the Articles of Confederation by which the 
States were governed were weak and imper- 
fect; it was therefore determined to establish 
some general form of government better suited 
to the time and to the growing prosperity of the 
country. Accordingly, delegates from all the 
States, except Ehode Island, met at Philadel- 
phia, and after four months' deliberation they 

Questions. — 21. What did General Washington do? 
When did he retire? —1. At the close of the war, what 
was found? What was determined? Where did the 
delegates assemble ? 



WASHINGTON'S ADMINISTRATION. 209 

succeeded in forming the present Constitution 
of the United States. 

2. By the Constitution, all legislative powers 
are placed in a Congress, consisting of a 
Senate and House of Representatives. The 
executive office is confided to the President. 
According to the provisions of the Constitu- 
tion, the several States immediately elected 
their delegates to Congress, and, by the unan- 
imous vote of the people. General Washington 
■was chosen the "first President. 

3. When the appointment was made known 
to him, he yielded to the call of his country, 
and bidding adieu to his peaceful retirement 
at Mount Yernon, proceeded to New York, 
where the Congress was then assembled. His 
progress to that city was marked by every 
demonstration of respect; triumphal arches 
were erected to commemorate his achieve- 
ments; and he was everywhere hailed as the 
Father of his Country. 

4. On the 30th of April, 1789, he was inau- 
gurated as President of the United States, in 
the City Hall of New York, the oath of oflace 
being administered by Mr. Livingston, Chan- 

QuESTiONS.— 2. By the Constitution, where are the 
powers placed? Who was chosen the first President? 

3. When the appointment was made known to him, what 
did he do? What is said of his progress to New York? 

4. What happened on April 30 ? 

18* 



210 UNITED STATES. 

cellor of the State of New York. John 
Adams, of Massachusetts, who had borne a 
distinguished part in the Eevolution, was 
elected the first Vice President. 

5. At the end of General Washington's 
second term of office, he declined a re-election, 
and after delivering a farewell address to the 
people, he retired again to his residence at 
Mount Vernon. He was succeeded in the ad- 
ministration by John Adams, who was elected 
the second President of the United States. 

6. During Mr. Adams' administration, the 
hostile attitude of France towards the United 
States caused the American Government to 
adopt measures of defence. The navy was 
increased, an army was raised, and General 
Washington was appointed commander-in- 
chief. These decisive measures on the part 
of the United States induced the French Gov- 
ernment to listen to an amicable settlement 
of the dispute. 

7. At this time^ the nation was destined to 
experience a severe loss by the death of Gen- 
eral Washington. On the 12th of December, 
he was out in a cold rain, and was seized in a 

Questions. — 5. Who was the first Vice President? 

6, What did General Washington decline? What did he 
do ? By whom was he succeeded ? 6. During Adams' 
administration, what took place ? What was done ? 

7. At this time what took place ? 



WASHINGTON'S ADMINISTEATION. 211 

few hours afterwards with an inflammation 
of the throat, attended with fever. He died 
on the 14th December, at Mount Yernon, his 
residence, in the sixty-eighth year of his age, 
A. D. 1799. 

8. Mr. Jefferson succeeded Mr. Adams in 
the office of President. During Mr. Jefferson's 
administration, disputes occurred with Algiers, 
Tunis, Morocco, and Tripoli. The difficulty 
with the first three was easily settled ; but 
Tripoli persisted in demanding certain trib- 
utes which the United States refused to pay, 
in consequence of which the Tripolitans cap- 
tured several American vessels. 

9. In 1803, Commodore Preble, with a small 
squadron, was sent into the Mediterranean to 
protect American commerce ; but shortly after 
his arrival, the frigate Philadelphia, under the 
command of Captain Bainbridge, ran upon a 
rock near Tripoli. She was obliged to strike 
her colors, and her officers and crew were 
made prisoners. The Tripolitans having re- 
leased the Philadelphia, drew her into the har- 
bor of Tripoli ; but she was shortly afterwards 

Questions. — 7. On the 14th, what happened? When 
and where did Washington die ? 8. Who succeeded Mr. 
Adams? During his administration, what occurred? 
What did Tripoli demand ? 9. In 1803, what took place? 
What happened the frigate Philadelphia? What was 
she obliged to do? By whom was she destroyed? 



212 UNITED STATES. 

destroyed by Commodore Decatur, who sailed 
into the harbor of Tripoli itself, and set her 
on fire; he then escaped, amidst a terrific 
shower of balls from the enemy's batteries, 
without the loss of a single man. The war 
was finally terminated by a treaty, in 1805. 

10. The thirteen States which originally 
formed the Union, were New Hampshire, 
Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New 
Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Ehode Island, 
Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South 
Carolina, and Georgia. 

11. In 1791, Yermont, hitherto claimed by 
New York as part of her territory, was ad- 
mitted into the Union; in 1792, Kentucky, 
originally a part of Virginia; in 1796, Tennes- 
see, formerly part of North Carolina; in 1802, 
Ohio, originally claimed by Virginia and Con- 
necticut. Louisiana was purchased from the 
French Government in 1803, but ^v^as only ad- 
mitted as a State in 1812. 



Questions. —10. Give us the names of the States 
which originally formed the Union ? 11. What States 
were admitted from 1789 to 1812? 



WAR WITH GREAT BRITAIN, 



CHAPTER XXYIII. 



Phe Causes of the War — The Surrender 
, OF General Hull — The Capture of the 
British Frigate Guerriere — The Inva- 
sion OF Canada, and Death of General 
Pike. 

1. During the year 1806, the British Gov- 
ernment declared all the French and German 
ports to be in a state of blockade, and prohib- 
ited all neutral vessels from trading with 
France and Germany, under the penalty of 
being seized and condemned. Shortly after 
this, the emperor of France issued a decree, 
prohibiting all intercourse with the British 
Islands. While the trade of the United States 
was thus restricted by the contending powers 
of Europe, another species of insult and injury 
arose. 

Questions. — 1. During 1806, what did the British 
Government do? What did the emperor of France doJ 
While the trade was restricted, &c., what is said? 

213 



214 UNITED STATES. 

2. This was the practice adopted by Great 
Britain of searching American vessels and 
taking from them such seamen as were sup- 
posed to be British deserters. This custom 
was subject to great abuse, because it was 
difficult to distinguish between American and 
British seamen; but there was, moreover, 
strong reason to believe that the British offi- 
cers did not wish to make this distinction, and 
that in many instances American citizens 
were compelled to serve in the British navy. 

3. In 1809, Mr. James Madison succeeded 
Mr, Jefferson in the office of President of the, 
United States. The President, during the 
first three jeava of his administration, did 
everything in his power to effect an amicable 
settlement of the difficulties between the 
United States and Great Britain. But his en- 
deavors were fruitless; Great Britain still con- 
tinued to search American vessels, and to im- 
pose restrictions on American trade. 

4. At length, on the first of June, 1812, Mr. 
Madison sent a message to Congress, strongly 
recommending to that body a declaration of 
war against Great Britain. The principal 

Questions. —2. What was this custom? What is 
said of the custom? What was there reason to believe? 
8. Who succeeded Mr. Jefferson? What did the Presi- 
dent do ? What did the British still continue? 4. In 
1812, what did Mr. Madison do ? 



WAR WITH ENGLAND. 215 

grounds for this measure, as stated in the mes- 
sage, were the searching of American vessels 
by the British; the blockading of the ports 
,of her enemies; and the suspicion that the 
(Indians had been instigated to acts of hostili- 
jties by British agents. 

5. The first operation after the declaration 

of war was an expedition against Canada. 

;This expedition was conducted by General 

i Hull, who, on the 16th of Aagust, disgracefully 

surrendered his whole army into the hands of 

the British. Hull was afterwards tried and 

[ found guilty of cowardice and neglect of duty, 

. and was condemned to be shot ; but on account 

I of his age, and the services he had rendered 

during the Eevolution, he was recommended 

\ to mercy, and the punishment of death was 

withdrawn by the President. 

6. The 19th of August, of that year, is mem- 
orable for the action between the American 
frigate Constitution and the British frigate 
Guerriere. The Constitution was commanded 
! by Captain Hull, and the Guerriere by Captain 
. Dacres ; and after an action of only twenty 
, minutes, the Guerriere struck her colors and 



Questions. — 4. What were the grounds of the war? 

5. What was the first operation? What is said of 
General Hull? What was afterwards done with him? 

6. What took place on the 19th of August? Who comr 
manded the Constitution? The Guerriere? 



216 UNITED STATES. 

i 
yielded to Hull. The loss of the Guerriere' 
was fifteen killed and sixty-four wounded; and 
that of the Constitution was seven killed and 
seven wounded. 

7. In October, the frigate United States, 
commanded by Captain Decatur, took the 
British frigate Macedonian ; and in the same 
month, the British sloop Frolic was captured 
by the Wasp, commanded by Captain Jones. 

8. During the year 1813, the war was at- 
tended with varying success. In the early 
part of the year, Canada was again invaded 
by a detachment of men under General Win- 
chester, but they were defeated by the British 
and Indians, near Frenchtown, and the greater 
part of those who surrendered to the enemy 
were inhumanly massacred by the savages. 

9. In April, another attempt at the reduc- 
tion of Canada was made, under General Pike; 
York, the capital of Upper Canada, was taken, 
but the brave and heroic Pike was killed, in 
the moment of victory, by the exiDlosion of a 



Questions. — 6. What was the loss on both sides? 
7. What took place in October ? 8. In 1813, what is said 
of the war ? By whom was Canada again invaded ? 
What is said of those who surrendered ? 9. In April, 
what was done ? What was taken ? Who was killed ? 



WAR WITH ENGLAND. 217 



CHAPTEE XXIX. 

Perry's Yictory — Battle of the Thames 
— Battle of Lundy's Lane — Battle of 
Bladensburg — Battle of North Point 

j — Battle of New Orleans. 

1. One of the most brilliant achievements 
of the war was Perry's victory upon Lake 
Erie. His little fleet consisted of nine small 
(Vessels, carrying only fifty-four guns, while the 
English squadron numbered six ships, carry- 
ing sixty-three guns. In the early part of the 
engagement, the flag-ship of Perry suffered 
severely, and was in a sinking condition, when 
the gallant Perry, seizing his flag and waving 
it in the breeze, leaped into an open boat, and 
passed, amidst a shower of balls, to another 
of his vessels. 

2. -The battle now raged with redoubled 
fury; but after a tremendous conflict of three 
hours, victory declared in favor of the Ameri- 
cans ; the stars and stripes floated in triumph 
over the wreck of the British squadron. 

3. After this victory, General Harrison em- 

QuESTiONS. — 1. What was the most brilliant achieve- 
ment ? In the early part of the action, what took place ? 
What did Perry do? 2. What is now said of the battle? 
Of the stars and stripes? 
19 



218 UNITED STATES. 

barked his forces and landed on the Canada 
Bhore, and, on the 5th of October, defeated the 
British under General Proctor, in the battle 
of the Thames. In this battle, the celebrated 
Indian chief, Tecumseh, was killed by Colonel 
Johnson. 

4. 1814. One of the best-contested battles 
that occurred during the* war, was that of 
Lundy's Lane, which took place near Niagara 
Falls, and is sometimes called the battle of 
Niagara. The Americans were commanded 
by General Brown £ind General Scott, who 
was then second in command. 

5. The battle commenced about sunset, and 
raged with terrific fury until midnight. The 
British fought with desperation, and often 
charged the Americans at the point of the 
bayonet; but they were bravely repulsed, and 
finally driven from every position, leaving the 
Americans in quiet possession of the field. In 
this battle, Generals Brown and Scott- were 
both wounded, and the command devolved on 
General Eipley. 

6. In September of this year, a combined 
attack was made on Plattsburg by the British 

Questions. — 3. What did General Harrison do ? What 
battle did he gain ? Who was killed in this battle ? 
4. What was one of the best-contested battles ? Bj 
whom' were the Americans commanded? 5. What is 
Baid of the battle ? The British ? Who were wounded ? 
6. What was done in September? 



WAR WITH ENGLAND. 219 

Bquadron, commanded by Commodore Downie, 
and a land force under Sir George Provost. 
The naval force was completely destroyed by 
the American fleet, commanded by Commo- 
dore McDonough. During the engagement 
of the fleets the British were effectually re- 
pulsed in their attack on the forts of Platts- 
burg by the Americans under the command of 
General Macomb. 

7. The courseof victory which had attended 
the American army during this year, met with 
a momentary check in the unfortunate battle 
of Bladensburg. In the month of August, a 
British fleet entered the Chesapeake and land- 
ed a force of si^ thousand men, under the com- 
mand of General Eoss, on the banks of the 
Patuxent, about forty miles from the city of 
Washington. At Bladensburg they were met 
by the Americans, under General Winder 5 but 
at the commencement of the battle the militia 
fled, leaving Commodore Barney and his small 
band of marines to sustain the whole weight 
of the conflict. 

8. Barney bravely maintained his position 
until he was wounded and taken prisoner. 
After this battle, the British proceeded to 

Questions. — 6. What is said of the naval forces ? 
During the engagement, what took place? 7. What is 
said of the course of victory? In August, what took 
place ? At Bladensburg ? 8. What is said of Barney ? 



220 UNITED STATES. 

Washington, burned the Capitol, the Presi- 
dent's house, and other public buildings, and 
then retired without molestation. 

9. A few weeks after this event, a combined 
attack was made upon the city of Baltimore 
by a British fleet of fifty sail, under Admiral 
Cochrane, and a land force of seven thousand 
men, under the command of General Eoss. 
On the morning of the 12th of September, 
they landed at Korth Point, where they were 
met by General Strieker, at the head of three 
thousand five hundred men. As the British 
were advancing, General Eoss was shot 
through the breast by one of the American 
riflemen, and falling in the arms of his aid-de- 
camp, he expired in a few minutes. 

10. The command then devolved on Colonel 
Brooke, who led on the attack. General 
Strieker, after maintaining his position for an 
hour and a half against a greatly superior 
force, retired to Worthington Mills. In the 
mean time, a furious assault was made on Fort 
McHenry by the British squadron ; but find- 
ing all their attempts fruitless, they abandoned 

Questions. —8. After the battle, what did the British 
do? 9. After this, what was done? On the 12th of 
September, what did they do ? As they were advancing, j 
what took place? 10. On whom did the command de- j 
volve? What is said of General Strieker? What place 
was assaulted, &c. ? I 



WAR WITH ENGLAND. 221 

i their designs, and the fleet, taking on board 
the land forces, moved down the bay. 
, 11. The last important event of the war was 
the battle of New Orleans. The British, under 
[the command of General Packenham, sailed 
[Tip the Mississippi, and landed nine miles be- 
low the city ; Jackson attacked then^ on the 
next day, December 23d, but the British troops 
^maintained their position, although suffering 
^ heavy loss. The Americans fell back, on the 
next morning, to their main line of intrench- 
:ments, two miles nearer to the city. They 
had fortified this position with bales of cotton. 
12. The British attacked with artillery on 
the 28th, but were repulsed with a loss of one 
j hundred and twenty men. Another attack, 
, made on the 1st of January, was as fruitless, 
I and General Packenham resolved to wait for 
1^ re-enforcements. These arrived on the 6th, 
I and on the 8th, at break of day, the British 
i\ army, 14,000 strong, charged in two divisions 
I upon the American intrenchments defended 
i|by six thousand patriots. Packenham was 
' killed, and Generals Kean and Gibbs were 
wounded. The assailants, thrice repulsed, 
fled in disorder, leaving upon the field seven 

! Questions. — 11. What was the last important event ? 
i, "What is said of the British, &c. ? What did Jackson do ? 
I '12. On the 8th of January, 1815, what took place ? How 
I many did they leave dead, &c. ? 
1 19* 



222 UNITED STATES. 



hundred dead and fourteen hundred wounded. 
Five hundred were taken prisoners. As in- 
credible as it may appear, the loss of the 
Americans was only seven killed and six 
wounded. 

13. On the 24th of December, of the pre- 
vious year, a treaty of peace had been signed 
at Ghent, between the United States and Greatj 
Britain ; and the news of this treaty, arrivingj 
shortly after the battle of New Orleans, puti 
an end to further hostilities. 

14. In 1817, James Monroe succeeded Mr., 
Madison in the oflftce of President ; and in 1825,! 
John Quincy Adams succeeded Mr. Monroe.! 
During the administration of Mr. Adams, Gen-i 
eral Lafayette paid a visit to the United! 
States. In 1829, Mr. Adams was succeeded! 
by General Jackson, who filled the office of | 
President until 1837, when he was succeeded 
by Martin Van Buren. i 

15. In 1841, General Harrison was elected! 
President of the United States, but died on thel 
4th of April after his inauguration, leaving! 
the office to the Yice President, John Tyler.} 
Mr. Tyler was succeeded by James K. Polk. 

Questions. — 12. What was the Americans' loss?| 
13. On the 24th of December, what took place? Whatj 
is said of the news of this treaty ? 14. Who succeeded! 
Mr. Madison and Mr. Monroe? In 1825, what tookj 
place? Who succeeded Mr. Adams? 15. In 1841, whatj 
took place? Who succeeded Mr. Tyler? 



THE WAR WITH MEXICO. 



CHAPTEE XXX. 



The Causes of the War — The Battle op 
Palo Alto — Battle op Eesaca de la 
Palma — Battle of Monterey — Battle 
OF Buena Yista. 

1. The principal cause of the war with 
Mexico was the admission of Texas into the 
Union, which took place on the 29th of Decem- 
ber, 1845, Texas, formerly a Mexican State, 
had revolted against the power of Mexico, and 
in 1836 established her independence. 

2. The boundary between the two republics 
had never been settled. Texas held the Rio 
Grande, from its source to its mouth to be the 
boundary line between the two countries, while 
Mexico regarded the river Nueces as the bound- 
ary, and claimed the territorj^ between the two 
rivers. Such was the state of things when 
Texas was admitted into the Union. 

Questions. — 1. What was the principal cause, &c. ? 
What is said of Texas ? 2. What is said of the bound- 
ary ? What did Texas hold ? What did Mexico regard ? 

223 



224 UNITED STATES. 

. 3. The United States, having admitted Texas 
with the Eio Grande as her southern houndary, 
claimed the disputed territory, and, of neces- 
sity, became bound to settle the difficulty with 
the Government of Mexico. Mexico still main- 
tained her right to the territory between the 
two rivers, and began to make i^reparations 
to invade the country. 

4. On receiving intelligence of this, Mr. 
Polk, who had lately been raised to the office 
of President, directed General Taylor to take 
up some convenient position beyond the river 
Nueces, in order to repel any invasion on the 
part of Mexico. Accordingly, General Tay- 
lor crossed the :N"ueces, and took up a position 
at Point Isabel. Leaving a garrison at this 
place, he moved south to the banks of the Pic 
Grande, and erected a fort, called Fort Brown, 
opposite Matamoras, a town on the Mexican 
side of the river. 

5. In the early part of May, General Taylor, 
leaving a small force at Fort Brown, returned 
to Point Isabel. During his absence, a furious 
attack was made on Fort Brown by the Mexi- 
cans under General Arista. On receiving in- 

QuESTioNs. — 3. What is said of the United States? 
Of Mexico ? 4. What did Mr. Polk direct ? What did 
General Taylor do? Where did he proceed? 5. In 
May, what did General Taylor do ? During his absence, 
what took place ? 



WAR WITH MEXICO. 225 

telligence of this, General Taylor immediately 
commenced his march back to Fort Brown, 
and on the 8th of May he was met by the 
enemy, drawn up in order of battle, at a point 
called Palo Alto. 

6. A furious battle ensued, in which the 
Mexicans were defeated, with a loss of nearly 
four hundred in killed and wounded, while the 
loss on the side of the Americans was nine 
killed and forty-two wounded. Among the 
slain on the part of the Americans was the 
brave and lamented Kinggold. While Eing- 
gold was advancing furiously to the charge, 
he was struck by a cannon ball, which killed 
his horse and inflicted on himself a mortal 
wound. General Taylor and his little army 
encamped upon the field of battle, surrounded 
by many of their fallen companions, while the 
groans of the dying, and the shrieks of the 
wounded of the enemy, broke the stillness of 
the midnight air. 

7. On the following morning. General Tay- 
lor marched forward towards Fort Brown; 
and having arrived within about three miles 
of the fort, he met with the enemy, who occu- 
pied a strong position at a place called Eesaca 

j, Questions.— 5. On the 8th of May, whom did he 
meet? 6. What ensued? What was the number of the 
killed and wounded on both sides ? Who was among 
the slain ? What did General Taylor and his army do ? 
7. Where did he meet the enemy ? 



226 UNITED STATES. 

de la Palma. The battle was commenced on 
both sides with the most determined bravery, 
and for some time maintained with equal suc- 
cess. 

8. In a few hours, however, the contest was 
decided; the Mexicans were routed, and fled 
with precipitation to the river, leaving the 
whole of their artillery, and two thousand 
stands of arms, together with the private 
papers of General Arista, in the hands of the 
Americans. This battle is memorable for the 
desperate charge of Colonel May. May, with 
his troops, charged up to the very mouth of 
the enemy's cannon, drove the men from the 
guns, captured their battery, and took General 
La Vega prisoner. 

9. A few days after this battle, General Tay- 
lor entered Matamoras, without opposition.- 
Scarcity of supplies, and the want of sufficient 
forces with which to follow up his successes, 
compelled him to remain inactive in that town 
for a considerable time. Meanwhile, a large 
Mexican force had collected at Monterey, the 
capital of New Leon, under the command of 
General Ampudia. 



Questions.— 7. What is said of the battle ? 8. What 
was the result of the contest ? What is said of Colonel 
May? 9. After this battle, what did General Taylor 
do ? Here, what is said ? Where had they collected ? 



WAK WITH MEXICO. 227 

10. On the 7th of September, the American 
army of six thousand men left Matamoras, and 
on the 19th encamped under the very walls of 
Monterey, then fortified and defended by a 
garrison of ten thousand men. On the morn- 
ing of the 21st, General Taylor ordered an 
attack. The Americans were led to the 
charge by Generals Twiggs, Worth, and other 
distinguished officers; and after an obstinate 
contest of nearly three days, the city yielded 
to the valor of the Americans. The battle 
was attended with a severe loss on both sides. 
The Americans lost one hundred and twenty- 
six killed, and about three hundred and fifty 
wounded, and among the killed was the lament- 
ed Colonel Watson. The Mexican loss was 
estimated at one thousand men, in killed and 
wounded. 

11. Nothing of importance occurred from 
this period until the return of the following 
spring. In the early part of February, General 
Ta3'lor moved towards the south with a force 
of about five thousand men, and finally took 
up a position at a place called Buena Yista, a 
few miles from Saltillo. Here, on the 22d of 

Questions. —10. On the 7th of September, what took 
place? On the 21st, what did General Taylor order? 
By whom were the Americans led, &c. ? What is said of 
the city? What was the loss on both sides? 11. In 
February, what did General Taylor do? 



228 UNITED STATES. 

February, he was met by a Mexican army of 
twenty thousand men, under command of their 
renowned leader, General Santa Anna, and on 
the following morning the memorable battle 
of Buena Vista took place. 

12. Long and bloody was the contest; at 
one time it seemed as if nothing could save 
our little army from destruction; again the 
tide of victory rolled back the advancing foe ; 
at last the courage and skill of the Mexicans 
yielded to the valor of the Americans: the 
shout of victory re-echoed, through the hills 
and valleys of Buena Yista. The next day 
the Mexican army retired to San Luis Potosi, 
leaving behind them hundreds of their dead 
and dying. 

Questions. — 11. On the 22d, by whom was he met? 
What took place? 12. What is said of the contest? 
At length, what is said? What did the Mexicans do? 



WAR WITH MEXICO. 229 



CHAPTEE XXXI. 

The Eeduction of Yera Cruz — The Battle 
OF Cerro Gordo — The Battle of Contre- 
RAs — The Surrender of the City op 
Mexico. 

< " 1. On the 23d of ISTovember, General Scott 
received orders from the Secretary of War to 
repair to Mexico and take the command of the 
troops there assembled. The first operation 
of General Scott, after reaching Mexico, was 
the reduction of the city of Yera Cruz. 

2. On the 22d of March, 1847, General Scott 
and his army stood before the city of Yera 
Cruz ; but before commencing operations, he 
sent a summons to the Mexican commander to 
surrender the city. The summons was reject- 
ed, and the American batteries immediately 
opened a destructive fire upon the city. The 
cannonading continued from this time until 
the morning of the 26th, when the city, and 
the famous castle of San Juan de Ulloa, sur- 
rendered to General Scott. 

3. After the reduction of Yera Cruz, Gen- 

QuESTiONS. — 1. On the 23d of November, what took 
place ? What was his first operation ? 2. On the 22d 
of March, what took place ? But before operations, 
' what did he ^o ? On the 26th, what took place ? 
20 



230 UNITED STATES. 

eral Scott commenced his march, with about 
six thousand men, towards the city of Mexico, 
the capital of the republic. At Cerro Gordo 
he was met by a Mexican force of fifteen thou- 
sand men, under the command of General San- 
ta Anna. An obstinate battle followed, in which 
the Mexicans were defeated, with a loss of one 
thousand two hundred in killed and wounded, 
and three thousand jDrisoners. The Ameri- 
can loss was sixty-three killed, and three hun- 
dred and eighty-six wounded. 

4. On the 19th of April, General Worth en- 
tered the city of Jalapa, and on the 22d took 
possession of the city and castle of Perote; 
and on the following day he occupied the city 
of Puebla, where General Scott remained for 
the greater part of the summer. 

5. In the early part of August. General Scott 
resumed his march towards the city of Mexico. 
He met with but little interruption until he 
reached Contreras, an eminence strongly for- 
tified, about fifteen miles from that. city. At 
this place a furious battle took place, which 
terminated in favor of -the Americans. ! 
. . I 

Questions. — 3. After this, what did General Scott! 
do? At Cerro Gordo, what did he meet? What fol- j 
lowed ? What was the American loss ? 4. On the 19lh i 
of April, what took place ? On the 22d, &c. ? 5. In | 
August, what did Scott do? What place did he reach? | 
AVhat took place ? • ! 



WAR WITH MEXICO. 231 

6. After this battle, our forces passed rapid- 
ly on to Cburubiisco. At this point, the main 
body of the Mexican army, to the number of 
twenty-seven thousand men, under the com- 
mand of Santa Anna, had taken up its posi- 
tion, resolved to make a desperate stand to 
save the capital. About noon, on the 20Lh of 
August, the battle commenced, and after a 
terrific conflict of three hours the scale of vic- 
tory turned in favor of the Americans. 

7. After taking Molino del Eey, or the King's 
Mill, and several other important and strongly 

• fortified places. General Scott arrived with his 
army on. the 14th of September at the very 

' gates of the renowned city of the Montezumas. 

i The city surrendered ; and on the following 
morning, at 7 o'clock, the star-spangled ban- 

' ner floated in triumph over the capital of the 
Mexican Republic. A treaty of peace between 

: the United States and Mexico was shortly af- 
terwards signed, and the hostilities between 

1 the two nations were happily terminated. By 

[ this treaty, Mexico ceded to the United States 
the territories of Upper California and New 
Mexico, receiving in payment thereof fifteen 



Questions. — 6. What did our forces do ? At this point 
what is related ? On the 20th of August, what took 
place? 7. After taking Molino del Rey, &c., what did 
Scott do ? AVhat is said of the city, &c. ? Of the treaty 
of peace? 



232 UNITED STATES. 

millions of dollars, besides some three millions 
of American claims assumed by our Govern- 
ment. 

8. General Taylor was elected to the Presi- 
dency at the first election that followed the: 
termination of the war; but he died soon after | 
his inauguration, and was succeeded by thai 
Yice President, Millard Fillmore. In 1853, 
Franklin Pierce was elected President. He 
was succeeded, in 1857, by James Buchanan. | 

Questions. — 8. Who was elected President after thel' 
war with Mexico? Who succeeded President Taylor?' 
Fillmore ? Pierce ? 



AMERICAN CIVIL WAR. 



CHAPTER XXXII. 

Causes op the War — Its Struggles and 
Results. 

1. In November, 1860, Abraham Lincoln 
was elected President, to succeed James Bu- 
chanan, being the first successful candidate 
of the Republican or Anti-Slavery party. 

2. The question of slavery had been, espe- 
cially during the last Administration, the cause 
of much angry discussion. The slave-holding 
States of the South felt greatly alarmed by 
this election of an Abolitionist, and demanded 
guarantees for the preservation of their con- 
stitutional rights. Failing to obtain this, the 
representatives of these States withdrew from 
the legislative halls; and their States, respec- 
tively, passed ordinances of secession, by 
which they withdrew from the Federal com- 
pact. 

3. The seceding States, to wit. South Caro- 

QuESTiONS. — 1. Who was elected President in 1860? 
2. What followed ? 3. What action did the seceding 
States take ? 

20* 233 



234 UNITED STATES. 

lina, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, 
Louisiana, and Texas, sent delegates to a Con- 
vention, which met in Montgomery, (Alabama,) 
and organized the provisional government of 
" Xhe Confederate States of America." 
Jefferson Davis, of Mississippi, a distinguished 
statesman and soldier, was elected Provisional 
President. 

4. When Mr. Lincoln took his oath of office, 
on the 4th of March, 1861, the Southern Con- 
federacy was already organized, and claimed 
to be a separate and distinct government from 
that of the United States. Virginia, North 
Carolina, Tennessee, and Arkansas successively 
passed ordinances of secession, and joined the 
new confederacy. 

5. The Government at Washington having 
determined to send supplies to Fort Sumter, 
in Charleston harbor, that fort was attacked 
by the Confederates on the 12th of April, 
1861. After a short but vigorous defence, it 
was surrendered by its commander, Major 
Anderson, to the Confederate general, Beaure- 
gard. Mr. Lincoln then issued a proclama- 
tion, calling for 75,000 volunteers. Such was 
the beginning of the fearful civil war which. 

Questions. — 3. Who was elected President of the new 
Confederacy ? 4. How did matters stand on the 4th of 
March? 5. How was the war begun? What did Mr. 
Lincoln do ? 



AMERICAN CIVIL WAE. 235 

was to rage for four years in the country of 
Washington, to end with the ruin of the 
Southern States, the sudden emancipation of 
three millions of slaves, and the creation of a 
stupendous national debt. 

6. The success of the contending armies 
was varied at first ; the great battle of Manas- 
sas, gained by the Confederates, was followed 
by reverses on other fields. The numerical 
superiority and immense resources of the 
Federals enabled them to repair their disasters 
promptly, and to hold the advantages gained; 
whilst the Confederates, shut out from the 
world, and far inferior in number to their op- 
ponents, were weakened by every defeat, and 
seldom able to reap the fruits of dear-bought 
victories. 

■ 7. Tennessee and Arkansas had never been 
wholly in the possession of the Confederates; 
they lost the control of the Mississippi, and 
part of Louisiana. Many of their ports were 
taken and the others blockaded by the fleets 
of the United States. From the second year 
of the war, the principal struggle was confined 
to Yirginia, where General Eobert E. Lee had 
command of the Confederate army. 

8. In the spring of 1865, the contest was 

Questions. — 6. What was the success of the contend- 
ing parties? How did they compare? 7. What re- 
verses befell the Confederates? 8. What happened in 
the spring of 1865 ? 



236 UNITED STATES. 

decided. The Federal general, Sherman, had 
crossed, in mid-winter, the entire State of 
Georgia, literally cutting the confederacy in 
two; he completely devastated this section of 
country, the granary of the South, and de- 
stroyed the railroads, thus cutting off the 
supplies of the Army of Yirginia. 

9. Meanwhile, General Grant, -with an over- 
whelming force, kept Lee's operations confined 
to the defence of the Confederate capital, 
BiCHMOND, and its main support, Petersburg. 
At last it became necessary to evacuate these 
two places; but the Confederate army was too 
much exhausted and reduced in number to 
accomplish successfully its retreat, and finally, 
on the 9th of April, 1865, General Lee sur- 
rendered the remnants of his once fine army 
to General Grant. The terms of the capitula- 
tion were that the men should lay down their 
arms, and retire to their homes, on their parole 
not to engage in any acts of hostility until 
duly exchanged. 

10. General Joseph E. Johnston, command- 
ing in Georgia, surrendered his army to Gen- 
eral Sherman upon similar conditions. The 
submission of the whole South was the imme- 
diate result of these surrenders. 

Questions. — 9. Where was General Grant? What 
became necessary, and what followed? What were the 
terms of surrender? 10. What other general surren- 
dered? 



AMERICAN CIVIL WAR. 237 

11. Almost simultaneously with these im- 
portant events, another occurred, without pre- 
cedent in the annals of this country, which 
cast a ffloora over the nation: on the 13th of 
April, 1865, President Lincoln was assassin- 
ated at a theatre in Washington City. 

12. Mr. Lincoln had quite recently been re- 
elected for a second term of office. After his 
death, the Presidency devolved upon the Yice 
President, Andrew Johnson, of Tennessee. 
Mr. Johnson was succeeded on the 4th of 
March, 1869, by General Ulysses S. Grant. 

Questions. — 11. What happened on the 13th of 
April? 12. Who succeeded Mr. Lincoln, and Mr. John- 
son? 



ENGLAND, 



CHAPTEE XXXIII. 

England, from the Conquest by the 
EoMANS, A. C. 55 TO A. D. 827. 

1. Our young readers are now to make a 
short review of the history of England, at 
present one of the most powerful and most 
important nations of Europe. Before proceed- 
ing further, it may be found very useful to 
take a glance at the exterior aspect of the 
country. England is the southern part of 
the island of Great Britain, and is about four 
hundred miles in length, and, in some places, 
three hundred or more miles in breadth. 

2; The soil is naturally fertile, and agricul- 
ture is carried to a high degree of perfection. 
The climate is moist, and the extremes of heat 
and cold are less than in other countries in 
the same latitude. The traveller, on visiting 
England, is struck with the appearance of 

Questions. — 1. What is said of England among the 
nations ? Describe the geography of the country. 
2. What is said of the soil ? Climate ? With what will 
the traveller be struck? 

238 



ENGLAND. 239 

wealth everywhere spread over the coantry. 
On one side, he will behold' some ancient 
castle, or mouldering abbey, presenting the 
relics of former grandeur; on the other, the 
splendid mansion of a nobleman, displaying 
all the magnificence of modern refinement 
and luxury. Still, poverty is the lot of a very 
large portion of the inhabitants of EngUand. 
In the cities, this poverty is extreme and Avide- 
spread. 

3. There are many large cities in England. 
London, on the Eiver Thames, is the capital 
of the British dominions. This city is one of 
the largest in the world ; it is about ten miles 
in length and six in breadth, and contains a 
population of over three millions of inhab- 
itants. Among the public buildings, St. Paul's 
Cathedral and Westminster Abbey arc the 
most celebrated. 

4. The early inhabitants of this country are 
said to have been a tribe of Gauls, or Celts, 
from the neighboring continent. They had 
but little knowledge of agriculture; they 
dwelt in huts in the forest, clothed themselves 
in the skins of wild beasts, and lived upon the 

Questions. — 2. Describe what the traveller will see. 
What is said of poverty in England? 3. What of its 
cities? What is said of London? The population? 
The public buildings? 4. What is said of the early in- 
habitants? Where did they dwell? On what did they 
live? 



240 ENGLAND. 

milk and flesh of their herds. Their religion 
was that of Druidism; their priests were 
called Druids, and possessed great control 
over the minds of the people. They taught 
the doctrine of the transmigration of souls, 
and offered human sacrifices to appease the 
wrath of their gods. 

5. The Britons had some knowledge of the 
art of war; their soldiers were armed chiefly 
with the bow, the shield, and the lance. They 
had also a kind of war-chariot, set with 
scythes, which caused dreadful destruction 
when driven among their enemies. 

6. Julius Csesar, who had conquered Gaul 
and a part of Germany, determined to invade 
Britain. AVith this view, he collected a nu- 
merous fleet, and embarked with ten thousand 
men. On reaching the coast, he beheld it 
covered with the natives, prepared to dispute 
his landing. For some time the Eoman sol- 
diers remained in doubtful suspense; at length, 
the standard bearer of the tenth legion leaped 
into the sea, and advanced towards the land. 
His example was immediately followed by his 
companions; they gained the shore, and ob- 

QuESTiONS. — 4. What is said of their religion? 
6. What is said of their soldiers ? Their war-chariots ? 
6. What is said of Julius Caesar ? On reaching the 
shore, what did the standard bearer do ? What fol- 
lowed? 



ENGLAND. 241 

tained an easy victory over the undisciplined 
Britons. 

7. In the reign of the emperor Claudius, 
the Bomans determined to effect the final sub- 
jugation of Britain, as the subjugation by 
Julius Caesar was rather nominal than real. 
The illustrious Caractacus for nine years de- 
fended his dominions against the power of 
Eome; but at length he was taken prisoner 
by Ostorius, and led captive to Eome. As he 
passed through the streets of the city, and 
beheld the splendor of the buildings, he ex- 
claimed : "Alas! how is it possible that a peo- 
ple, possessed of such magnificence at home, 
should envy C^iractacus in his humble cottage 
in Britain." 

8. In passing over the northern part of Eng- 
land, you may meet with the ruins of ancient 
walls. These walls were built by the Romans, 
in order to prevent the inroads of the warlike 
races of Picts and Scots from Caledonia, or 
Scotland. About the middle of the fifth cen- 
tury, the Eomans withdrew from Britain, 
leaving the inhabitants to their own resources; 
then the northern barbarians, no longer inti- 



QuESTiONS.— 7. In the reign'of the emperor Claudius, 
what took place? What is said of Caractacus? What 
did he exclaim ? 8. In the northern part of England, 
what may you find? By whom were they built? When 
the Romans withdrew, what followed? 
21 



242 ENGLAND. 

midated by the Eoman legions, broke down 
the walls, and spread destruction over the 
southern part of the island. 

9. At this time, England was visited by a 
number of Saxons, natives of the north of 
Germany, led by two brothers, Hengist and 
Horsa. Their object was probably plunder, 
but being employed by the Britons to assist 
them against their enemies, they did good 
service. The Scots and the other northern 
tribes were soon compelled to retire to their 
own native mountains. But the Saxons, hav- 
ing expelled the invaders, turned their arms 
upon the Britons, and being re-enforced by the 
Angles and Jutes, and by others, all from 
Northern Europe, they took possession of the 
countrj", and forced the inhabitants to subjec- 
tion. From the Angles, the name England is 
derived. 

10. The Britons for a long time resisted the 
Saxons, but after a contest of about one hun- 
dred 3-ears, the Saxons prevailed, and estab- 
lished the Heptarchy, or seven Saxon king- 
doms, A. D. 560. At length, Ethelbert, king 
of Wessex, one of these seven kingdoms, united 
them all in 827, under the name of England. 

Questions. — 9, Who visited England at this time? 
What followed? What is said of the Saxons? Having 
expelled the invaders, what did they do? 10. What is 
said of the Britons? At length, what did Ethelbert do ? 



ENGLAND. 243 

11. Previously to this period, Christianity 
had been introduced into England. About 
the close of the sixth century, Pope Gregory 
the Great sent Saint Austin from Eome to 
carry the glad tidings of salvation to the in 
habitants of Britain. Austin, accompanied 
by several monks, set out upon the holy mis- 
sion, and having arrived in England, made 
known to Ethelbert the object for which he 
had come. 

12. The king was not entirely ignorant of 
Christianity, for Bertha, his queen, the daugh- 
ter of the king of Paris, had previously em- 
braced the Christian religion. He therefore 
received the missionaries kindly, and gave 
them an audience under a large oak, in the 
open air. Saint Austin explained to him the 
doctrines of Christianity, and the king shortly 
after received baptism pubUcly. Such was the 
powerful influence of his example, that ten 
thousand of his subjects are said to have been 
baptized in a single day. 

Questions. — 11. What had been introduced ? About 
the middle of the sixth century, what took place? 
12. AVhat is said of Ethelbert? How did he receive the 
missionaries? What did St. Austin do? How many- 
were baptized in a day ? 



244 ENGLAND. 



CHAPTER XXXIY. 

From the Foundation of the Monarchy to 
THE Norman Conquest, A. D. 827 to 1066. 

1. Before the middle of the ninth century, 
the coast of Britain was visited by a ferocious 
people from Denmark, called the Danes, who 
repeatedly plundered and laid waste the coun- 
try, destroying everything with fire and sword. 
When Alfred, surnamed the Great, ascended 
the throne in 871, he found himself surrounded 
by these formidable enemies. He immediately 
took the field against them, and is said to have 
defeated them in eight different battles in one 
year, compelling them at length to retire to 
their own dominions. 

2. They returned, however, in a short time, 
with re-enforcements, ravaged the country, and 
even obliged Alfred to solicit peace. In his 
distress, the king was compelled to seek his 
safet}^ in the most obscure of shelters. He 
accordingly laid aside all marks of royalty, 
and disguising himself in the habit of a peas- 
ant, passed several months in the cottage of a 

Questions. — 1. By whom was the coast of Britain 
visited ? What is said of Alfred ? What did he immedi- 
ately do? 2, What did his enemies do? What is said 
of the king ? Where did he pass several months ? 



ENGLAND. 245 

herdsman. While in this humble abode, the 
herdsman's wife, who did not know that he 
was the king, ordered him to take care of some 
cakes that were being baked by the fire, while 
she was absent. 

3. Alfred, whose mind was otherwise em- 
ployed, forgot the injunction he had received, 
and let the cakes burn. The woman, on her 
return, finding her cakes ruined, exclaimed: 
" What ! you will be ready enough to eat them 
by and by, and yet you cannot watch them, 
you idle fellow ! " 

4. Alfred, being desirous of learning the 
number of the Danish forces, and their mode 
of discipline, disguised himself as a wandering 
harper, entered the camp of the Danes, and 
played for the amusement of the soldiers. He 
was even introduced into the tent of Guthrun, 
the Danish prince, entertained him with his 
music, and remained with him for several days. 
Having thus learned in person the unguarded 
condition of the Danes, he returned, and hav- 
ing assembled his followers, attacked the 
enemy by surprise, and routed them with 
great slaughter. 

Questions. — 2. While here, what was he ordered to 
do ? 3. What is related of Alfred ? What did she tell 
him? 4. What again of Alfred? Where was he intro- 
duced ? On his return, what did he do ? 
21* 



246 ENGLAND. 

5. Alfred, being now freed from these trouble- 
some enemies, turned his whole attention to- 
wards repairing the evils which they had 
caused, and improving the moral condition of 
his subjects. He established schools for the 
instruction of his people, and invited into his 
kingdom the most eminent men of Europe. 
He also founded the University of Oxford, 
composed a code of laws, and, according to 
many historians, established the trial by jury. 

6. It is recorded of Alfred that he put to 
death forty corrupt judges in one year; and 
BO exactly and impartially were the laws ad- 
ministered, and so just were the people, that 
gold ornaments could be hung up in the pub- 
lic roads, and no one would touch them. He 
usually divided his time into three equal parts, 
one of which he employed in study and in 
religious devotions, a second in the discharge 
of business, and the third in sleep and in rec- 
reating his body by exercise and diet. These 
divisions he exactly measured by burning 
tapers of equal length. 

t. Alfred was one of the wisest and most 
illustrious princes that ever occupied the Eng- 



QuESTiONS. — 5. To what did Alfred turn his atten- 
tion ? What did he establish ? What did he found ? 
Compose ? 6. What is recorded of Alfred ? How did 
he divide his time? How did he measure these divi- 
Bions? 7. What is s^id of Alfred ? 



' ENGLAND. 247 

lish throne. Whilst his private life was 
adorned by every Christian virtue, he was 
justly reputed as the greatest warrior, legis- 
lator, and statesman of his age. He died in 
the year 901, and left the throne to his son 
Edward, surnamed the Elder. 

8. Edward was a warlike prince, and his 
reign of twenty-four years was almost one 
continual contest with the Danes and North- 
umbrians. He left three sons, who succes- 
sively occupied the throne. The first of these 
was Athelstan, who carried on a successful 
war against the Danes, Scots, and other ene- 
mies. Athelstan did more than any of his 
predecessors to establish England firmly as a 
kingdom, After a reign of sixteen years, he 
wafT succeeded by his brother Edmund I. The 
reign of this prince lasted but six years, and 
his death was tragical. As he was celebrating 
a festival in Gloucester, he was killed by Leolf, 
a notorious robber. 

9. Edred,.the third brother, next succeeded 
to the throne. Among the chief advisers of 
this king, was Dunstan, the venerable abbot 

Questions. —7. What is said of Alfred's private life ? 
When did he die ? 8. What is said of Edward ? By 
whom was he succeeded ? What did Athelstan do for 
England? What is said of Edmund? Of his death? 
9. Who succeeded ? Who was the chief adviser of this 
king? 



248 ENGLAND. 

of Glastonbury. Edred deposited with him 
all his treasures, and the titles of his lands, 
and wished to make him bishop of Winchester. 
Edred died after a reign of ten years, and 
left the throne, in 955, to his nephew, Edwin 
or Edwy, son of Edmund I. 

10. Edwy is generally represented as a 
prince of a weak and profligate character. He 
banished Dunstan, the abbot of Glastonbury, 
from the kingdom, because he opposed his 
unlawful affection for Elgiva, a lady of rank. 
Edwy, on account of his misconduct, was 
forced by his subjects and his brother Edgar 
to confine himself to but a limited portion 
of Southern England. At his death, in 
959, Edgar succeeded him. Edgar recalled the 
abbot of Glastonbury from exile, appointed 
him to a bishopric, and finally made him Pri- 
mate of England. Nevertheless, St. Dunstan, 
to punish him for a licentious action, forbade 
him to wear his crown for seven years. In 
this reign, the wolves that infested England 
were finally exterminated. Edgar subdued 
the Scotch. His reign of sixteen years was 
generally peaceful. 

Questions.— 9. When did Edred die? "10. How is 
Edwin represented? Whom did he banish? What fur- 
ther is said of him? Who succeeded him? What is 
said of Edgar and St. Dunstan ? Of wolves in England? 
Of Edgar and his reign? 



ENGLAND. 249 

11. Edward the Second, son of Edgar, 
reigned from 975 to 978. He was called the 
Martyr, because he was assassinated at the 
instigation of Elfrida, his step-mother, who 
was led to this crime that she might gain the 
crown for her own son, Ethelred the Second. 
During the long and unfortunate reign of Eth- 
elred, the Danes and other northern races re- 
peatedly invaded the country. In an interval 
of peace, in 1002, he ordered a general massa- 
cre of the Danes that were living in England. 
In revenge, Sweyn, king of Denmark, com- 
mitted terrible ravages in England. He even 
forced Ethelred to retire into Normandy, and 
seized the kingdom. Sweyn died very shortly 
after, bequeathing England to his son Canute, 
1014. 

12. On the death of Sweyn, Ethelred imme- 
diately returned and regained possession of 
his throne, which he retained until his death, 
in 1016. His son, Edmund the Second, called 
Ironsides, on account of his great bodily strengh, 
succeeded him, and died the same year. Canute 



Questions. — 11. Who was his successor? Why was 
he called the Martyr? What invasions took place during 
this reign? What massacre? What did Sweyn do? 
What was his end? 12. What happened on the death of 
Sweyn? Who was the successor of Ethelred? What is 
eaid of Edmund and Canute ? 



250 ENGLAND. 

had meanwhile made many efforts to gain pos- 
session of England, and Edmund, before his 
death, finally agreed to divide the kingdom 
with him. 

13. The death of Edmund, and, about the 
same period, of Harold, king of Denmark, 
brother of Canute, left Canute sovereign of 
both countries. He also held sway over Nor- 
wa}^ and Sweden, Scotland and Wales. He i 
was thus one of the most powerful monarchs ' 
of the age. On this account, and also from 
his eminent qualities as a ruler, he has been 
called the Great. He died in 1035, after a reign 
of eighteen years, much lamented by his sub- 
jects. 

14. An interesting anecdote is related of this ! 
prince. Being one day near the sea-shore, his 
courtiers, to flatter him, said that he was the 
king of kings, the master of both earth and; 
sea. Canute took this opj^ortunity to show 
how much he despised their foolish flattery. 
Sitting down, and addressing himself to the 
tide, which was advancing: "I am thy mas- 
ter," he exclaimed; "I command thee, there- 
fore, to stay where thou art, and not to move 

Questions. — 13. How did Canute become sovereign 
of England and Denmark? What other countries did 
Canute govern? Why was he called Great? What is 
said of his death. 14. Relate the anecdote of Canute 
and his courtiers. 



ENGLAND. 251 

further, and wet my feet." All present thought 
the king mad, to imagine that the sea was go- 
ing to obey his orders. It continued to advance, 
and at length came to the feet of the monarch. 
Turning to his flatterers, he said : " You see 
how far I am from being the master of ail 
'things. Learn hence, that the power of kings 
is very inconsiderable. There is, indeed, no 
other king than Almighty God, by whom alone 
the heavens, the earth, and the sea are gov- 
erned." 

15. Canute left to his three sons the kins'- 

o 

doms over which he had reigned : Norway to 
'Sweyn ; Denmark to Hardicanute ; and Eng- 
land to Harold, called Harefoot, on account of 
his swiftness in running. Harold was a weak 
and profligate prince, and reigned but three 
years. The reign of his brother and succes- 
;3or, Hardicanute, the last of the Danish kings 
3f England, was equally short, terminating in 
1042. As this king left no children, the Eng- 
lish availed themselves of his death to shake 
3ff the Danish yoke, and to restore the Saxon 
!ine, in the person of Edward the Third, sur- 
Qamed the Confessor, brother of Edmund Iron- 
■sides. Edward was distinguished for the vir- 



QuESTiONS.— 15. How did Canute divide his king- 
ioms? What is said of his two successors in England? 
What change then took place ? 



252 ENGLAND. 

tues which adorned his character, and which 
obtained him a title equivalent to that of 
perfect Christian. 

16. At Edward's death, in 1066, several com- 
petitors for the throne appeared. Of these, 
Harold, the son of the Earl of Godwin, a pow- 
erful English nobleman, and William, Duke of 
Normandy, were the most prominent. Both 
claimed to be remotely allied to the family of 
the late king. Harold, being in England at 
the time of Edward's death, quietly possessed 
himself of the throne, as Harold the Second. 
With Edward passed away the Saxon line of 
monarchs. The Edwards of subsequent Eng- 
lish history belong to the Norman line. 

17. William resolved to make good his claim 
to England by force of arms, and accordingly 
landed in the island in 1066 with a powerful 
army. The memorable battle of Hastings en- 
sued, in which Harold was killed, and his army 
defeated. The English submitted to the scep- 
tre of William, who was known thenceforward 
as the Conqueror. 

Questions. — 15. What is said of Edward the Confes- 
sor? 16. What events succeeded Edward's death? 
What is said of the Saxon line ? 17. How did William 
the Conqueror obtain the throne ? 



ENGLAND. 253 



CHAPTER XXXY. 

The Kings of the Norman Family — From 
A.D. 1066 TO 1154. 

1. William the Conqueror possessed great 
abilities as a statesman and a warrior, though 
many of his acts were cruel and oppressive. 
He was remarkable in his person, being tall 
and well proportioned, and so strong, that few 
could be found able to bend his bow or wield 
his arms. 

2. William endeavored to reconcile the Eng- 
lish with his rule, but as he spent much of his 
time in Normandy, his officers in England 
made his government odious by their oppres- 
sions. The resentment of the English aroused 
him to great severity against them. One of 
his laws compelled them to e:5^tinguish their 
lights at an early hour of the evening, at the 
sound of the bell called the " curfew," (cover- 
fire.) 

8. He rendered a vast service by causing a 
register to be prepared of all the estates in 
England. This work is known as the Domes- 



QuESTiONS. — 1. What is said of William? For what 
was he remarkable ? 2. What is said of the English 
under his government? Of the curfew? 3. What pub- 
lic service did he render? 
22 . 



254 ENGLAND. 

day Book. The introduction of the Norman a 
into England occasioned the extensive use of 
the French language. No other hmguage was 
used in courts of law or in high society. 
Many French words were thus incorporated 
into the English language, and French words 
are still frequent in law. He showed great 
partiality for his Norman followers, and raised 
them to all the posts of honor. 

4. The conduct of his children gave him 
much unhappiness. Eobert at length openly 
revolted against his father, and endeavored to 
take Normandy from him. William besieged 
him in a castle in Normandy, where many 
daring encounters took place. It happened, 
on one occasion, that Eobert engaged the king 
himself, whose features were concealed by his 
helmet. A fierce combat ensued; at lengthy 
the young prince wounded and dismounted his 
father, who called out for assistance. Eobert, 
hearing his voice, recognized his parent; struck 
with remorse, he alighted from his horse, 
threw himself at the feet of William, and im- 
plored his pardon. He then assisted him to 
mount, and saw him return to his camp. 
After governing England twenty-one years, 

Questions. — 3. What is said of the introduction of 
the French language? Of his Norman followers? 
4. What is said of his children? Of Robert? What 
happened on one occasion? 



ENGLAND. 255 

"William expired in Normandy, having first 
endeavored to make restitution for many of 
his. acts of violence. His descendants have 
ever since occupied the thi'one of England. 

5. William the Second, surnamed Riifus, 
from his red hair, succeeded his fjxther in the 
English throne, A. D. 1087. His reign was 
marked by cruelty and perfidy, and his death 
was tragical. As he was one day hunting in 
the forest, he was accidentally killed by one 
of his attendants, who aimed an arrow at a stag. 
Eobert, the brother of William, was the lawful 
heir to the crown ; but at the time of William's 
death, he was absent on a crusade to the Holy 
Land. Henry, his younger brother, taking 
advantage of his absence, seized upon the gov- 
ernment, and ascended the vacant throne, 
under the title of Henry the First, 1100. 

6. Eobert on his return made an effort to 
obtain the crown, but was defeated and taken 
prisoner by his brother, who confined him in a 
castle in Wales during the remainder of his 
life, which lasted twenty-eight years. Alas| 
how feeble are the nearest ties of kindred, 

Questions. — 4. What is said of the death of Willium ? 
5. Who succeeded to the throne? What is said of his 
reign? What was his end? What is said of Robert? 
What did Henry do? 6. What did Robert do on his re- 
turn? What happened to him? What is said of ambi- 
tion? 



256 ENGLAND. 

when they come in conflict with the impulses 
of unrestrained ambition ! 



CHAPTEE XXXYI. 

Family of Plantagenet — From A. D. 
1135 TO 1399. 

1. Henry left the throne to his daughter 
Matilda, married to Geoffrey Plantagenet, 
Count of Anjou. For nineteen years, the suc- 
cession was interrupted by the usurpation of 
his nephew, Stephen. Finally, however, Ma- 
tilda's son ascended the throne in 1154, as 
Henry the Second. The most important 
achievement of his reign was the invasion and 
subjugation of Ireland, which country has re- 
mained more or less in a state of subjection to 
the English crown ever since. 

2. During the early part of his reign, the 
famous Thomas-a-Becket, a man of great learn- 
ing and ability, held the first place in the 
king's favor, and was promoted to the office 
of High Chancellor. It happened about this 
t[me that the Archbishop of Canterbury died, 
and Becket was appointed to fill the vacant see. 

Questions. — 1. To whom did Henry leave the throne ? 
What was the most important event? 2. In the early 
part of his reign, what distinguished person is men- 
tioned ? What happened about this time ? 



ENGLAND. 257 

3. Eecket, while he filled the office of Chan- 
cellor, had displayed great magnificence; but 
on being elevated to the dignity of arch- 
bishop, he laid aside his former pomp and 
worldly display. The train of knights and 
noblemen who were accustomed to attend him 
were exchanged for a few companions selected 
from among the most learned and most virtu- 
ous of the clergj^. His diet was abstemious, 
and his charities were abundant; his time was 
occupied in prayer, study, and in the discharge 
of the duties of his station. 

4. Shortly after Eecket was consecrated 
bishop, Henr}^ began to make encroachments 
on the rights of the church and the privileges 
of the clergy. He required that a clergy- 
man who had been tried for offences in the 
ecclesiastical court, should be delivered to the 
custody of the lay officers, to be tried again, 
and punished by a lay tribunal. He also pro- 
hibited the clergy from appealing to the court 
of Home without his consent. 

5. The archbishop considered it his duty to 
oppose these measures, so repugnant to the 
dignity of the church, and to those liberties 
which Henry had sworn to preserve at his 

Questions. — 3. What is said of Becket? What did 
He lay aside ? What is said of his diet, &c. ? 4, Shortly 
ftfter this, what did Henry do? Require? Prohibit? 
5. What is said of the archbishop ? 

22* 



258 ENGLAND. 

coronation. The king grew indignant at this 
opposition ; the archbishop thought it prudent 
to withdraw for a time from England, and ac- 
cordingly he retired to France. 

6. After some time, a reconciliation was 
effected between Henry and the primate, and 
the latter again returned to England, carrying 
with him letters of suspension from the pope, 
against the bishops of Salisbury, London, and 
York. The bishops, on receiving these letters, 
burst into violent complaints against the pri- 
mate, and hastened to the king for redress. 
Henry, in a moment of anger, exclaimed : " Of 
all the cowards who eat at my table, is there 
not one, who will free me from this turbulent 
priest ! " 

7. Four of his attendants, taking this for the 
royal approbation, resolved to murder or carry 
off the primate. They immediately repaired 
to the palace of the archbishop, and accused 
him of insolence to the king. While they 
were there, the bell rang for vespers, and the 
undaunted prelate arose, and went unattended 
to the cathedral. The assassins followed him 
as he entered the church, and one of their 

Questions. — 5. What of the king? 6. After some 
time, what took place? What did the bishops do? 
What did Henry exclaim? 7. What did four of his at- 
tendants resolve ? While they were there, what did the 
primate do ? 



ENGLAND. 259 

number cried out: "Where is the traitor?'* 
To this no answer was returner!. But 
another asked: "Where is the archbishop?'' 
To this the prelate answered: "Here is the 
archbishop, but no traitor." 

8. Upon receiving this reply, they rushed 
forward, and one of them struck the arch- 
bishop a blow upon the head with a battle- 
axe. When he felt the blood trickling down 
his face, the prelate clasped his hands, and 
bowing down, said : " In the name of Christ, 
and for the defence of his church, I am ready 
to die." In this posture he sank to the floor, 
under their repeated blows, at the foot of 
Saint Bennet's altar, A. D. 1170. 

9. At the first news of this event, Henry 
was filled wnth dread and alarm; he now 
lamented, when too late, the hasty expression 
which had led to the commission of so great 
a crime. A few jeava after this, he beheld 
his children uniting in rebellion against him 
in conjunction with his perfidious nobles. 
These things, he concluded, were not in the 
ordinary course of nature; they could be no 
other than the effects of the divine wrath, 

Questions. — 7. What did one of them cry out? What 
did the prelate answer? 8. What did they do? When 
he felt the blood, &c., what did he say? How did he 
sink ? 9. What is said of Henry ? What did he behold ? 
What did he conclude ? 



200 ENGLAND. 

which he had called down upon himself by 
his persecution of the archbishop. 

10. As St. Thomas of Canterbury, the name 
of the holy prelate shortly became famous. 
The shrine in which his relics were preserved in 
his own cathedral was resorted to by xjilgi'ims 
from all parts of the world. Henry, in order to 
expiate his offence, resolved to make a pilgrim- 
age to the tomb of the martyr. He accordingly 
went to the cathedral in Canterbury, and 
prostrated himself before the shrine, while the 
bishop of London addressed the spectators. 

11. When the prelate had concluded his dis- 
course, the king arose and went to the chap- 
ter-house of the convent, where the monks and 
a few bishops and abbots were assembled. In 
the presence of these, the royal penitent con- 
fessed his crimes, and received on his shoulders, 
with a knotted cord, a few stripes from each. 
After this act of humility, he returned again to 
the shrine, and spent the night in prayer. 

12. The latter part of his life was embittered 
by the unnatural conduct of his sons, who 
joined in a second rebellion against their 
father. He asked for a Ust of the conspirators ; 

Questions. — 10. What is said of the name of the pre- 
late ? What did Henry resolve ? Relate what followed. 
11. What did the king do? In the presence of these? 
After this act, what did he do ? 12. What is said of tho 
latter part of his life ? 



EISTGLAND. 261 

on receiving it, the first name that caught his 
eye was that of his favorite son John. Heart- 
broken, he read no more, but returned the 
paper, and shortly after died, 1189. 

13. His son, Eichardthe First, surnamed the 
Lion-hearted, succeeded to the throne. Eich- 
ard was of a chivalrous and romantic turn of 
mind. He engaged in the crusades, and em- 
barked for the Holy Land, where his personal 
valor was conspicuous in every action. On 
his return he was shipwrecked, and while en- 
deavoring to pass in disguise through Ger- 
many, was talven prisoner by the emperor, 
Henry the Sixth, who obliged him to give 
the sum of three hundred thousand pounds 
sterling for his liberty. Eichard had no sooner 
returned to England, than he declared war 
against his former ally in the crusades, the king 
of France, who had encouraged the malcontents 
in England to plot against him. During this 
war, the lion-hearted king met his death while 
besieging the castle of Limoges. He had 
reigned ten years. 

14. John, the brother of Eichard, succeeded 
to the throne, although Arthur, the son of an 



Questions. — 12. For what did he ask,' and what fol- 
lowed ? 13. Who succeeded ? What is said of Richard ? 
In what did he engage ? On his return, what happened ? 
How did he die? 14. What did John do ? 



262 ENGLAND. 

elder brother, was the lawful heir; and for 
fear the young prince, at any future period, 
might assert his claim, he was, by the order 
of John, basely murdered. The reign of John 
was one of the most disgraceful in English 
historj^ In almost every action, he trampled 
upon the rights of his subjects, and infringed | 
the privileges of his nobles. 

15. At length the nobles, nnable to support 
his tyranny, entered into a combination against 
him, nnder the direction of Langton, the Arch- 
bishop of Canterbury. They met at Kunny- 
mede, in 1215, and compelled the king to sign 
and seal the famous document of Magna i 
Charta, which is regarded as the great bul- j 
wark of English liberty, even at the present || 
time; and by which the liberty and import- \ 
ant privileges of all ranks of the people are | 
secured. John died, after an odious reign of I 
seventeen years, in 1216, i 

16. Henry the Third, hie son and successor, i 
was a weak and timid prince; and his long! 
reign was almost a continued series of contests i 
with his turbulent barons. Henry was at | 
length compelled to resign his crown,, but was '' 

Questions., — 14. What did he do with the young 
prince? What is said of his reign? 15. At length, 
what did his nobles do ? AVhat was he compelled to 
sign? When did he die? 16. What is said of Henry? 
What was he compelled to do, &c., and what followed J 



ENGLAND. 263 

again restored to the throne after the famous 
battle of Evesham, in which the rebellious 
barons were defeated. He died in the sixty- 
fourth year of his age, and fifty-sixth of his 
reign, A. D. 1272. 

17. Henry was succeeded by his son, Edward 
the First. Edward was a prince of great mili- 
tary talents. He subjugated Wales, and cre- 
ated his eldest son Prince of Wales, a title 
which, since then, distinguishes the eldest son 
of the British sovereign. He also invaded 
Scotland, defeated the Scots in the battle of 
Dunbar, and led their king captive to Eng- 
land. The Scots were incited to throw off 
the English yoke through the exertions of the 
renowned hero. Sir William Wallace; but 
Wallace, after many brilliant achievements, 
w^as betrayed into the hands of Edward and 
put to death with barbarous cruelty, in 1305. 

18. Edward the Second, who, two years 
after this, succeeded his father, possessed but 
few qualities to distinguish him as a sovereign. 
He was weak and indolent, and allowed him- 
self to be governed by unworthy favorites. 



Questions. — 16. When did he die? 17. By whom 
was he succeeded ? What did Edward do ?• What else ? 
By whom were the Scots roused, &c. ? What was the 
fate of Wallace? 18. What is said of Edward the 
Second? 



264 ENGLAND. 

At length, a conspiracy was formed against 
him by his infamous queen, Isabella, and Mor- 
timer, a young noble. Edward was compelled 
to resign the crown, and was afterwards bar- 
barously murdered, at the instigation of Isa- 
bella, A. D. 1327. 

19. Edward the Third, his son, succeeded to 
the throne. The reign of this prince was one 
01 the most brilliant recorded in English his 
tory. He invaded Scotland, and defeated the 
bcots in the battle of Halidon Hill. He then 
invaded France, and gained the memorable 
bixttle of Cressy, 1346; and his son, the Black 
i'nnce, afterwards defeated John, the French 
king, in the famous battle of Poictiers, and led 
him captive to England, 1356. 

20. Edward died in 1377, in the sixty-fifth 
year of his age and fifty-first of his reio-n, 
and was succeeded by Eichard the Second the 
son of the Black Prince. The reign of Eich- 
ard was greatly disturbed by civil dissensions. 
Wat lyler, a blacksmith, was the leader of the 
insurgents. He led them to Smithfield, where 
he invited the king to a conference. Here he 
behaved with so much insolence, that he ex- 



t ! 

3 ' 



QUESTI0NS.-18. What was formed against him? What 
r"iL5 WH . ''• ^^~e<ied? What is said of his 
reign? What countries did he invade? 20. When did 
^edie? By whom was he succeeded? What is said of 
his reign? Of Tyler 



ENGLAND. 265 

cited the indignation of one of the king's at- 
tendants, who struck him dead upon the spot. 

21. This rash act created the most violent 
excitement among the insurgents, and might 
have proved fatal to the king, had it not been 
for the presence of mind he displayed on that 
occasion. The 3'oung prince, riding up to the 
insuro-ents, while their bows were bent for 
attack, exclaimed : *' What, my people! w^ill 
you kill your king? Follow me, and you 
shall have wiiat you desire." 

22. While Eichard was absent in Ireland, a 
conspiracy was formed against him; and on 
his return, he was compelled to resign his 
crown, and the Duke of Lancaster, his cousin, 
ascended the throne, under the title of Henry 
the Fourth. Eichard was imprisoned in the 
castle of Pomfret, and was shortly afterwards 
cruelly murdered, A. D. 1399. 

Questions. — 20. What was his fate? 21. What is 
said of the rash act ? The young prince ? 22. What is 
related of Richard ? What was his fate ? 
23 



I 



266 ENGLAND. 



CHAPTER XXXYII. 

The Lancaster Family — From A. D. 

1399 TO 1461. 

I 

1. Henry, having succeeded to the crown byj 
the murder of his lawful sovereign, soon found! 
that the throne was not a place for the enjoy-' 
ment of repose; that the diadem that glitters; 
upon the brow of monarchs conceals beneath] 
its splendor a thousand cares unknown in thd 
humbler walks of life. The early part of his' 
reign was distracted by insurrections, and the^ 
latter part of his life was rendered unhappy! 
by the profligate conduct of his son. Henryi 
died in the forty-sixth year of his age, and! 
fourteenth of his reign, A. D. 1413. ! 

2. He was succeeded b}^ his son, Henr}^ the! 
Fifth, whose reign is memorable for the famous! 
battle of Agincourt, in 1415, in which thej 
French were defeated with a loss of elevenj 
thousand killed and fourteen thousand prison-! 
ers, while the English lost only forty slain. i 
His brillant career of victory was cut short [ 
by death, in the thirty-fourth year of his age.t 
and the tenth of his reign, A. D. 1422. | 



Questions. —1. What did Henry soon find ? What is I 
said of the early part of his reign? When did he die?} 
2. For what is the reign of Henry the Fifth memorable?! 
What is said of victory ? f 



ENGLAND. 267 

8. Heriry the Sixth succeeded his father at 
the early age of ten months, under the regency 
of his uncle, the Duke of Gloucester. As -the 
young king advanced in years, he evinced a 
mild and pleasing disposition. He married 
Margaret, the daughter of the king of Sicily, 
a woman of heroic courage. The early part 
of his reign was disturbed by the insurrection 
of Jack Cade. Cade, however, was defeated 
and slain, and the insurrection suppressed. 

4. Shortl}^ after this, the Duke of York, a 
descendant of Edward the Third, asserted his 
claim to the crown, and a most sanguinary 
civil w-ar followed. The red rose was the 
Bymbol of the house of Lancaster, and the 
white rose that of the house of York; hence 
this contest is often known as the War of the 
two Eoses. It is said that more than one hun- 
dred thousand persons were slain during this 
war. 

5. In the great battle of St. Albans, the king 
was defeated and taken prisoner; but Queen 
Margaret still kept the field, and gained the 
battle of Wakefield, in which the Duke of York 

Questions. — 3. Who succeeded ? What is said of the 
young king ? By what was his reign disturbed ? 4. After 
this, what took place ? Of what was the red rose the 
symbol? The white rose? Hence what is this war 
called? 5. What happened in the battle of St. Albans 2 
What is said of the queen? 



I 



268 ENGLAND. 

was defeated and slain. Edward, the son of 
the duke, took the field in support of the houso 
of York; he entered London with a numerous 
army, and was proclaimed king, under the title 
of Edward the Fourth, A. D. 1461. 



CHAPTEE XXXYIII. 

The House op York — Edward IY. — Ed- 
ward Y. — EiCHARD III. — From 1461 to; 

1485. ' 

i 

t 

1. Scarcely was Edward seated upon thoj 
throne, than he found himself opposed by the| 
heroic Margaret, at the head of sixty thousand! 
men. Edward and the Earl of Warwick has-| 
tened to give her battle; the two armies metj 
at Towton, where the forces of the queen were j 
com23letely routed. j 

2. The situation of the queen was deplorable! 
in the extreme. With no other companion! 
than her little son, she fled from the field of j 
battle, and entered the gloomy forest of Hex-'| 
ham. Here she fell into the hands of ruffians, 

Questions. — 5. What is said of Edward, the son of 
the duke? — 1. What is said of Edward? Where did 
the two armies meet? 2. What is said of the queen? 
What did she do? Into whose hands did she fall ? 



ENGLAND. 269 

who despoiled ber of her jewels and treated 
her with the greatest rudeness; they, however, 
disputed about the booty, and during their dis- 
pute, she made her escape and fled with her 
Bon into the thickest part of the forest. When 
almost overcome with fatigue, and about to 
sink in despair, she was suddenly roused by 
the approach of a robber with a drawn sword. 

3. Finding it impossible to escape, she re- 
solved to throw herself upon his generosity. 
She advanced towards him and said : " Friend, 
here is the son of j^ourking; I commit him 
to your protection." The man, pleased with 
the confidence placed in him, rendered all the 
assistance in his power. He conducted her 
safely to the sea-coast, and she escaped to 
Flanders. 

4. A few years after this. Queen Margaret, 
having collected another army on the conti- 
nent, returned to England, and made a second 
effort to liberate her husband, and to replace 
him upon the throne. In this she was suc- 
cessful ; Edward was expelled, and Henry, 
after being six years in captivity, was again 
restored. Edward, however, soon returned 

Questions. — 2. What^ followed ? When almost, &c., 
how was she roused ? 3. What did she resolve? What 
did she say ? What did the man do ? 4. After a few 
years, what took place ? What is said of Edward and 
Henry ? What did Edward do ? 
23* 



270 ENGLAND. 

with a powerful army, and having de. • 
the forces of Henry in the bloody bat 7 
Barnet, again seized upon the crown, 1 j' 

5. The intrepid Margaret again to 
field against him, but was entirely defei i 
Edward, in the desperate battle of Tewk i 
in which she and her son were taken ^. 
ers. The king asked the youthful a 
w^hy he dared invade his dominions, h \ 
the prince replied : " I have entei L 
dominions of my father to avenge his i '» 
and to redress my own." The ung^ j 
king, enraged at this noble reply, st? r 
prince with his sword, and his at. \ 
taking this as a signal for further ^ r. 
killed the young prince upon the spot. 7 

6. Edward passed the remainder of h: I) 
in acts of tyranny and cruelty. He \ 
his brother, the Duke of Clarence^ to bv .:,f 
death for a trifling offence. The life .. 
deposed monarch Henry was terminate., h 
assassination in prison. Queen Margaret, ii. ' 
prisoned with him, then found a refuge in 
France, where she died the year before Edward. | 
He died in the forty-second year of his age^" 
A. D. 1483. 

Questions. — 5. What is said of Margaret? What did 
he ask the young prince? What did he reply? What jj 
was his fate? 6. What is said of Edward ? What did' 
he cause ? What was the fate of Henry ? When did 
Edward die ? 



ENGLAND. 271 

"whc Edward left two sons, the elder of whom 
her v\ led the throne at the age of thirteen, 
dispu the title of Edward the Fifth. His 
pute, 'the Duke of Gloster, was ajopointed 
Bon in or, but seized the crown for himself, 
almos' he title of Eichard the Third, in 1483. 
sink i- Jiithful king, and his little brother, the 
the a] f York, were, by his orders, smothered 
3. } Tower. Scarcely was Eichard seated 
solver' throne, than he found a powerful rival 
She f. ry Tudor, Earl of Ei6hmond, a descend- 
here . the house of Lancaster. Eichard was 
to yoL, . and slain in the battle of Bosworth 
the co: ^ 1485, and his victorious rival was 
assist; d upon the field of battle, and assumed 
safeh le of Henry the Seventh. 

FlanV • 

4_ IONS. — 7. Who ascended the throne ? What is 

■L^'- ,ie Duke of Gloster ? Of the fate of Edward and 
u a V 1 ij 

^ her? What was the fate of Richard? What is 
nent . . ... . , , 

. his victorious rival : 



272 ENGLAND. 



CHAPTER XXXIX. 

Tudor Family — Henry YII. — Henry YIII. 

Edward YI. — Mary and Elizabeth — 

From 1485 to 1603. 

1. The marriage of Henry with Elizabeth, 
daughter of Edward the Fourth, and heiress 
of the house of York, by uniting the rival i: 
houses, put an end to the civil wars which fori 
thirty years had devastated the kingdom. The |i 
early part of Henry's reign was disturbed by| 
the ai:)pearance of two pretenders to the throne. 
They assumed to be princes of the house of 
York, and the success they met with at first 
was due to the attachment still felt by the 
people for that family. The first was Lambert | 
Simnel, the son of a baker, who attempted to 
counterfeit the Earl of Warwick, a cousin of 
Edward the Fifth, whom Henry kept in prison. | 
He was defeated and taken prisoner, and Henry ; 
made him a servant in his kitchen. 

2. The second was Perkin Warbeck, who 
endeavored to counterfeit the Duke of York, 
the young prince smothered in the Tower. 



Questions. — 1. What is said of the succession of 
Henry? The early part of his reign? Who was the| 
first ? 2. Who was the second ? 



ENGLAND. 273 

After a variety of adventures, Warbeck was 
taken prisoner, and confined in the company 
of the real Earl of Warwick. They attempted 
to escape, whereupon the earl was beheaded, 
and Warbeck hanged at Tyburn. Henry was 
a prudent, but a very avaricious prince. In 
his reign, commerce was encouraged, and voy- 
ages of discovery were promoted. He died in 
1509, and left the crown to his son, Henry the 
Eii>;hth. 

3. Henry the Eighth succeeded to the throne 
under the most favorable circumstances. He 
was then in the eighteenth year of his age, 
and possessed of every quality that could en- 
dear him to his subjects; but as he advanced 
in life, all his better qualities gave way to the 
most detestable vices, until he became a cruel 
and rapacious tyrant. The most important 
events of Henry's reign grew out of his matri- 
monial alliances. He had no less than six 
wives, two of whom he caused to be beheaded 
' for real or pretended crimes, and two others 
divorced. 

4. His first wife was Catherine of Arragon, 
an amiable and virtuous woman. Among the 



Questions.— 2. What is said of Henry? To whom 
^ did he leave the throne? 3. What is said of Henry the 
Eighth ? What did he become? How many wives had 
he? 4. Who was his first wife? 



274 ENGLAND. 

ladies who attended the queen, was Anne, the 
fair daughter of Sir Thomas Boleyn. This 
young lady so captivated the king's affections, 
that he resolved to make her his wife, and for 
this purpose applied to the Pope for a divorce 
from Catherine of Arragon. Clement the 
Seventh replied that, as he had been lawfully 
married to Catherine, no power on earth could j 
release him from his obligations. 

5. He now resolved to effect a divorce with- 
out the Poj^e's consent. For this purpose he 
assembled a court oveV Avhich Cranmer, Arch- i 
bishop of Canterbury, presided. This court 
readily annulled his marriage with Catherine, 
and the king was immediately married to Anne 
Boleyn. His next step was to make the church 
in England independent of the Pope, and to 
cause himself, by an act of Parliament in 1534, 
to be proclaimed the head of the English 
church. He caused the venerable Bishop Fisher 
and the celebrated Sir Thomas More to be be- 
headed, because they would not acknowledge 1 
his supremacy. He suppressed the monas- 
teries in England, and converted their estates j 
to the use of the crown. 



Questions. — 4. What is said of Anne Boleyn ? What 
did the king resolve ? What did the Pope reply ? 
5. What steps did the king take to obtain a divorce ? 
What followed ? What was the king's next step ? Whom 
did he cause to be beheaded ? What did he suppress ? 



ENGLAND. 275 

6. In his extravagance, he plundered the 
rich shrine of Saint Thomas of Canterbury, 
and despoiled it of its ornaments of silver and 
gold; then, ordering the Saint to be tried for 
treason committed against Henry the Second, 
he condemned him as a traitor, and caused his 
relics to be taken out and scattered to the 
wind. His wicked career was at length ter- 
minated by death, in the fifty-sixth year of 
his age, and the thirty-seventh of his reign, 
A. D. 1547. Henry was succeeded by his son, 
Edward the Sixth, in the tenth year of bis age, 
whose mother was Jane Seymour, Henry's 
third wife. 

7. During the reign of the late monarch, the 
revolution in religion now known as the "Ee- 
formation," commenced in German}^, under 
Martin Luther, a native of Eisleben in Saxony. 
At an early age he entered the order of the 
Augustinian friars, and in the course of time be- 
came professor of divinity in the University 
of Wittenburg. In 1520, he threw off his 
monastic habit, and commenced to preach 
against the Pope and the Catholics. At this 
time, Henry wrote a book against Luther, on 
which account he was styled ''The Defender 

Questions. —6. What did he plunder? What did he 
order ? When did he die ? By whom was he succeeded ? 
7. During his reign, what commenced in Germany? 
What is said of Luther ? In 1520, what did he do ? 
What did Henry write ? 



276 ENGLAND. 



of the Faith," a title which is retained by tho 
British sovereigns to the present day. Henry 
afterwards persecuted Protestants and Catho- 
lics alike. 

8. Luther, in reprobating the abuses said to 
have been committed by certain individuals at 
that time, attacked several points of Catholic' | 
doctrine, particularly that of indulgences. 
Catholics believe that an indulgence is a relaxa- 
tion of all or a part of the temporal punishment 
due to sin, after the guilt has been remitted 
by the sacrament of penance; they do not 
believe that it is a pardon for sin, much less a | 
license to commit sin. 

9. During the reign of Edward the Sixth, I 
the doctrines of the Eeforraation, which had 
begun to spread in England in the time of his 
father, became more firmly established. A 
new liturgy in the English language, and a ji 
book of Common Prayer, were compiled by 
Archbishop Cranmer: and by the adoption of ; 
these, the rites and ceremonies of the Catholic I 
Church were abolished, and a form of worship 
nearly resembling that of the present Church 
of England, was established throughout the \ 



kingdom. 



Questions. — 7. What is again said of Henry ? 8. Of 
Luther? What do Catholics believe of an indulgence? 
9. During the reign of Edward, what is said of the new 
doctrines? What is said of a new liturgy? What were 
abolished? 



ENGLAND. 277 

10. The jouTig king died in 1553, in the six- 
teenth year of his age. Before his death, he had 
been prevailed upon to set aside his sister^ 
Mary and Elizabeth, and to leave the crown 
to Lady Jane Gray, his cousin, a Protestant 
like himself. Accordingly, this lady was im- 
mediately elevated to the throne; but after 
wearing the crown for ten days, she retired to 
a private station, and Mary, the daughter of 
King Henry and Catherine of Arragon, and 
therefore the lawful heir, was quietly acknow- 
ledged. Scarcely was Mary seated on the 
throne, than a second conspiracy was entered 
into against her. The conspirators were de- 
feated, and several of them atoned for their 
rebellion on the scaffold. Among those who 
suffered on this occasion was the much lament- 
ed Lady Jane Gray. 

11. Mary has been much censured for con- 
senting to the execution of this unfortunate lady. 
It is true that her life had been spared on a for- 
mer occasion by Mary, against the advice of 
her ministers, but an insurrection in which 
Lady Jane's father took part, made Mary ap- 
prehensive that her crown was in danger by 
suffering the young princess longer to live. 

Questions. — 10. What is said of the king? What is 
said of Lady Jane Gray? Who was acknowledged? 
What followed? 11. What is said of Mary? On what 
grounds was Lady Jane put to death? 
24 



278 ENGLAND. 

Mary, in the second year of her reign, married 
Philip the Second, of Spain. One of her first 
acts, after she ascended the throne, was to re- 
store the Catholic religion, the public exercise 
of which had been nearly extinguished during 
the reign of her brother. 

12. Mary lived at a period when religious 
toleration was neither understood nor prac- 
tised by either Catholics or Protestants; when 
the extirj^ation of what were deemed erro- 
neous doctrines was inculcated as a dut}^ by 
the leaders of every religious denomination. 
Still, the part she took in persecuting those 
w^ho were hostile to her faith, will always re- 
main a blot upon her memory. She put into 
force a law against heres}^, which had been 
recommended to Edward the Sixth, by Cran- 
mer, for the punishment of the Catholics. 
Under this law, nearly tw^o hundred Protest- 
ants were put to death within four 3'ears, 
among the first of whom was Cranmer him- 
self. An occasional interrujDtion occurred to 
these persecutions, and Philip's Spanish chap- 
lain denounced them in a public sermon; but 
they did not entirely cease while Mar}^ lived. 

Questions, — 11. Whom did Mary marry ? What was 
one of her first acts? 12. What is said of toleration? 
What will be a blot upon Mary's memory? What'law 
did she put in force? What is said of interruptions to 
the persecution? 



ENGLAND. 279 

Towards the close of her reign, the French 
took Calais, after it had been for two hundred 
years in possession of the English. This 
event hastened her death. She died in the 
forty-sixth year of her age, and the sixth of 
her reign, A. D. 1558. 

13. On the death of Mary, Elizabeth, daugh- 
ter of Heniy the Eighth, and Anne Boleyn, 
succeeded to the throne, and proceeded at 
once to re-establish the Protestant faith as 
the religion of the realm, and to assume the 
title of supreme head of the English church. 
One of the principal events of her reign was 
her persecution of Mary, Queen of Scotland. 
Mary, who was the grand-daughter of Henry 
the Seventh, and, after Elizabeth, the next 
heir to the English throne, was renowned 
throughout Europe for her beauty and accom- 
plishments. She had been educated at the 
court of France, and had married Francis the 
Second, who died shortly after the celebration 
of the nuptials. 

14. On the death of Francis, Mary returned 
to her own dominions. Shortly a^fter her re- 
turn, she married Lord Darnly, a man of a 

Questions.— 12. What of Calais?' When did Mary- 
die? 13. Who succeeded? What was one of her first 
acts? What is said of Mary, Queen of Scotland? 
Where had she been educated? 14. What did Mary do? 
Whom did she marry? 



280 • ENGLAND. 

fickle and jealous disposition. About a year 
after his marriage, Darnly, being unwell, had I 
removed to a house near Edinburgh for the 
benefit of his health; but the house in which 
he had taken up his abode was blown up with 
gunpowder, and the body of Darnly thrown | 
into an adjacent garden. Shortly after this I 
event, Mary was seized by the Earl of Both- 
well, and led captive to the castle of Dunbar, ' 
and there compelled to marry him. 

15. A rebellion soon broke out; Bothwell 
was expelled from the country, and Mary ' 
again taken prisoner and confined in the castle i, 
of Lochleven. Here she was compelled to 
resign her crown in favor of her son, James I 
the Sixth, of Scotland, and the Earl of Murray ; 
was appointed regent. She finally escaped 
from captivity, and having collected her ad- 
herents, made an efi'ort to regain her crown ; [ 
but being defeated in the battle of Langside, | 
she resolved to seek an asylum in England 
and to throw herself upon the mercy of her [ 
cousin Elizabeth. 

16. As ^oon as Mary landed in England, 
Elizabeth ordered her to be confined in Tut- ! 
bury castle, under the custody of the Earl of 

Questions. — 14. What was his fate ? After this what 
followed? 15. What is said of Mary? What was she 
compelled to do? Having escaped, what did she do? 
What did she resolve ? 16. What did Elizabeth order? 



ENGLAND. 281 

Shrewsbury. The unfortunate Queen of Scots 
languished in captivity in various prisons for 
nearly twenty years. At last, her unnatural 
cousin, Queen Elizabeth, issued an order for 
her execution, under the pretence that Mary 
had conspired to deprive her of her crown. 

17. When Mary was led forth to execution, 
she was exhorted to renounce the religion of 
her ancestors, and to die in the reformed re- 
ligion, but she replied that she had been born 
a Catholic, in that religion, had lived, and in 
,that religion was resolved to die. She then 
pffered up prayers for the church, for her son, 
^and for her cousin. Queen Elizabeth, and hav- 
ing taken an affectionate farewell of her faith- 
ful attendants, she calmly resigned herself to 
;the executioner, and her head was severed 
from her body at the third stroke of the axe, 
A. D. 1587. 

18. Althou2:h it is doubtful what were the 
religious sentiments of Elizabeth, or whether 
In fact she had any, she persecuted those who re- 
fused conformity with the established church, 
the Thirty-nine Articles of which were adopted 
in 1562. Hence, Puritans and Catholics suf- 
fered alike, but the latter in much greater 

Questions. — 16. What is said of the unfortunate 
queen? 17. "VVhat was Mary exhorted to do? What did 
she reply? What did she then do? 18. What is said of 
Elizabeth's persecutions? Who suffered? 
24* 



282 ENGLAND. 

numbers. It was made treason to the state 
and an offence punishable with death to 
abandon the Protestant for the Catholic re- 
ligion, to harbor a priest, to have been or- 
dained in a foreign country, to admit the ec- 
clesiastical supremacy of the Pope, or to reject 
that of the queen. Consequently, a great 
number of priests and others were put to 
death. The rack and other tortures were in 
common use. The prisons were crowded with \ 
victims, and many ancient families were re- 
duced to poverty b}^ the heavy fines imposed 
on them for continuing to adhere to the old 
religion. 

19. Philip the Second, of Spain, having 
been provoked into war by the aggressions of 
Elizabeth, sent a fleet of one hundred and 
thirty vessels to invade England. He was so 
confident of success that he called his fleet the 

• *' Invincible Armada." Tfie English rallied i 
unanimously to the defence of their country, 
and through their efforts, aided by a violent | 
tempest, the attempt of the Spaniards resulted \ 
in entire failure, A. D. 1588. 

20. The enterprise of the English led them 

Questions. — 18. What religious offences were made 
treason? Wliat was the consequence? Describe some 
of the punishments employed. 19. What is said of || 
Philip the Second ? Of the resistance of the English ? 
20. What of their enterprise ? 



ENGLAND. 283 

in this reign to undertake numerous expedi- 
tions for war, trade, discovery, and coloniza- 
tion. 'On the other hand, the poor, who were 
formerly aided by the monasteries, increased 
in numbers to such an extent as to make the 
introduction of poor-laws necessary. These 
provided for their public support, but with 
these laws were published others that, for the 
first time in English history, seemed to reduce 
poverty almost to the level of a crime. 

21. Elizabeth died in the seventieth year 
of her age, and in the forty-fifth of her reign, 
A. D. 1603. Elizabeth possessed eminent 
qualities as a sovereign, but in principle she 
wa3 despotic, cruel, jealous, and revengeful; 
her conversation was often grossly profane, 
and in her private life she was even less to be 
admired. Her reign was distinguished for 
men of learning; among these, Bacon, Shaks- 
peare, and Spencer were the most eminent. 
By her vigor and ability, Elizabeth aided in 
raising England from an inferior place among 
nations, to the first rank. 

Questions.— 20. Of the condition of the poor? Of 
the character of some laws? 21. When did Elizabeth 
die ? What did she possess ? What is said of her reign ? 
Of her vigor and ability ? 



284 ENGLAND. 



CHAPTER XL. 

The Stuart Family — From A. D. 1603 to 
1714. 

1. On the death of Elizabeth, James the 
Sixth, of Scotland, son of Mary Stuart, Queen 
of Scots, succeeded to the English throne, 
under the title of James the First. The most 
remarkable event of his reign was the famous 
Gunpowder Plot, which was a design of a few |i 
daring adventurers to blow up the parliament ;| 
housej and involve in one common ruin the i 
king, lords, and commons. The j^lot, however, ! 
was discovered, and one of the leaders, Guy j 
Fawkes, was taken as he was about to fire the 



2. James died in 1625, and was succeeded by \ 
his son, Charles the First. The reign of this | 
prince was greatly distracted by civil wars. [ 
His parliament revolted against him, and after I 
the war had raged for several years, the royal ; 
forces were routed, and the king fell into the : 
hands of his enemies. The unfortunate mon- 1 
arch was brought to trial for levying war 
against the parliament ; and being condemned, 

Questions. — 1. Who succeeded Elizabeth ? What wag 
the Gunpowder Plot? What is said of the plot? 
2. When did James die? Who succeeded? What ia 
said of his reign? What was the fate of this monarch! 



ENGLAND. 286 

he was publicly executed, in the twenty-sec- 
ond year of his reign, A. D. 1648. 

3. After the death of the king, the royal 
government and the house of lords were abol- 
ished, and a republican form of government 
was established. The parliament, which had 
been in session for eleven years, and is known 
by the name of the Long Parliament, was at 
length dissolved- by Cromwell, who usurped 
the whole power of the government, and as- 
sumed the title of Protector. His administra- 
tion was directed with energy and ability, and 
considerably advanced the military glory of 
England. He died in the fifty-ninth year of 
his age, A. D. 1658. 

4. Eichard Cromwell, his son, was proclaimed 
protector, but after holding the office for a 
few months, he resigned the title and retired 
into private life. In 1660, Charles the Second 
was restored to the throne of his father. 
During his reign, the city of London was vis- 
ited by a plague, which carried off ninety thou- 
sand of its inhabitants; and shortly after- 
wards a fire took place, by which thirteen 
thousand houses were laid in ruins. To per- 

Qdestions. — 3. What were abolished? What is said 
of the parliament ? By whom was it dissolved, &c. ? 
What is said of his administration? When did he die? 
4. Who was proclaimed protector? In 1660, what took 
place ? During his reign, what took place ? 



286 ENGLAND. 

petuate the memory of this calamity, a monuJj 
ment was erected, with an inscription on thd 
base, falsely ascribing it to the Koman Cathoj 
lies; but this inscription has been erased by 
the order of Parliament. 

5. Charles died in the twenty-fifth year of 
his reign, A. D. 1685. Shortly before his death,| 
he sent for a Catholic clergyman, and receivedj 
the last rites of the Catholic church from his! 
hands. On the death of Charles, his brother,! 
the Duke of York, ascended the throne under! 
the title of James the Second. The early partj 
of the reign of this prince was disturbed by! 
the rebellion of the Duke of Monmouth; thel 
duke, however, w^as taken prisoner and be-j 
headed, and the rebellion suppressed. \\ 

6. Lord Chief Justice Jeffries, who was ap-jl 
pointed to try rebel prisoners, is represented! 
as having been guilty of much cruelty in| 
the discharge of the duty assigned him; but 
all the odium of the proceedings fell uponf 
the king. An insurrection broke out inii 
which many of the king's former friends andlj 
adherents, and even some of his own chil-li 
dren took part. William, Prince of Orange, I 
Bon-in-law of James, was applied to for aid, i 

Questions. — 4. What was erected, and what is said I 
of it? 5. When did Charles die? Who ascended the j! 
throne ? In the early part of his reign, what took place ? j 
6. What is said of Jeffries? What broke out? I 



ENGLAND. 287 

and the kingdom was offered to liim. . He ac- 
cepted the invitation, and landed in England 
with considerable force; James fled the king- 
dom, and William ascended the vacant throne. 
7. James, after spending some months at the 
court of France, resolved to make an effort to 
regain his crown through the people of Ireland, 
who still remained faithful to his interest. He 
landed at Dublin, and after some delay, he 
met the forces of William on the banks of the 
Eiver Boyne ; here an obstinate battle took 
place, in which James was defeated. He fled 
,again to France, where he died, in the sixty- 
eighth year of his age, A. J). 1701. 
\ 8. On the death of William in 1702, the crown 
devolved upon Anne, the second daughter of 
James. In the early part of her reign, a war 
was waged against France, during which the 
Puke of Marlborough gained the celebrated 
victories of Blenheim, Ramillies, and others, 
over the forces of Louis the Fourteenth. The 
other important events of her reign, were the 

( ~~~ 

Questions. — 6. What is said of the Prince of Orange? 
What did James do ? 7. What did James resolve? Where 
did he land? What took place? What became of 
James? 8, On whom did the crown devolve? What is 
said of the early part of her reign? 



288 ENGLAND. 

taking of Gibraltar, a stronghold which re- 
mains in the possession of the English to the 
present time ; and the union between England 
and Scotland in 1706, by which the two coun- 
tries were included in one, under the common 
title of Great Britain 

9. This period has been styled the Augustan 
Age of England, and is distinguished for men 
of genius and learning, such as Pope, Swift, 
and Addison. The queen, whose health had 
been for some time on the decline, at length 
passed from the turmoil and splendor of the 
throne to the humble quietude of the tomb, in 
the fiftieth year of her age, A.D. 1714. 



CHAPTEK XLI. 

House op Brunswick — George I. — George 
II. _ George III. — George I Y. — Wil- 
liam IV. — Queen Victoria. 

1. On the death of Anne, George, son of the 
Duke of Brunswick, Elector of Hanover, and 
a descendant of James the First, succeeded 
to the throne of England, under the title 
of George the First. His reign presents 



Questions. —8. What were the other events? 9. What 
IB said of this period ? When did the queen die ? — 1. Who 
Bucceeded to the throne ? 



ENGLAND. 289 

few events of importance. During it, a rebel- 
lion broke out in Scotland in favor of the eon 
of James the Second, which was, however, 
soon suppressed, and the most exemplary se- 
verity exercised against the leaders. George 
died in the sixty-eighth year of his age, and 
the thirteenth of his reign, A. D. 1727. 

2. George the Second, his son, was a princo 
of some ability, and fond of martial exercises. 
In 1740, he espoused the cause of Maria The- 
resa of Austria against Louis the Fifteenth of 
France. This is called the War of the Aus- 
trian Succession. The claims of Maria The- 
resa were finally acknowledged, and the war 
was ended by the treaty of Aix-la-Chapeile in 
1748. In 1745, Prince Charles, grandson of 
James the Second, made another effort to gain 
possession of the throne of his fathers. He 
landed in Scotland, and defeated the royalists 
in the battle of Preston Pans, but was signally 
defeated in the famous battle of CuUoden, in 
1746. 

3. Towards the close of the reign of George, 
war was renewed between England and France 
on account of the boundaries of their respect- 

QuESTiONS. — 1. What rebellion broke out? When 
did he die ? 2. Who succeeded ? What occurred in 
1740? In 1748? In 1745? In 1746? 3. What war 
was renewed? 
25 



290 ENGLAND. 

ive possessions in America. George died in| 
the seventy-seventli year of his age, and thir-l 
ty-third of his reign, A. D. 1760. George the; 
Third, his grandson, succeeded to the throne| 
at the age of twenty-two. By the treaty of i 
Paris, in 1763, the war with France, begun 
under his predecessor, and called- the Seven; 
Years' War, was terminated. By the terms 
of this treaty, Canada and other possessions 
of the French in North America were ceded' 
to the English. 

4. George the Third commenced his reign j 
by a course of unjust and oppressive measures' 
towards the British colonies in North America.* 
The colonies were at length driven into rebel-; 
lion, and after a long and expensive war, Eng-I 
land was compelled to acknowledge their in-j 
dependence in 1783. The other most import- j 
ant events of his reign, were the rebellion in| 
Ireland in 1798, and the long and sanguinary- 
conflicts that grew out of the French Eevolu-i 
tion of 1789. I 

5. The principal achievements of the British | 
arms during this period, were the famous vic-j 
tories of the Nile and Trafalgar, by Lord JSTel-l 

Questions. — 3. When did he die ? Who succeeded ? 
What took place in 1763? With what result? 4. What! 
is said of this prince? The colonies, &c. ? What! 
were the other events? 5. What were the principal] 
achievements ? 1 



ENGLAND. 291 

son, in 1798, and those of Salamanca, Yittoria, 
and Waterloo, by Wellington, 1809 to 1814. 
George died at a very advanced age, after a 
reign of sixty years, the longest recorded in 
English history. The reign of George the 
Fourth, v^^ho succeeded to the throne in 1820, 
was distinguished for the passage of the Cath- 
olic Eelief Bill, by which the disabilities of 
the Koman Catholics in Great Britain and Ire- 
land were removed. England, at this period, 
also assisted the Greeks in gaining their'inde- 
pendence. The British fleet, in union with 
that of France and Eussia, gained a celebrated 
victory over the Turks in the battle of JN'ava- 
rino in 1827. 

6. George the Fourth died in 1830, and was 
succeeded by his brother William, Duke of 
Clarence, under the title of William the Fourth. 
The extension of popular suffrage in 1832, and 
the abolition of slavery in the British colonies 
in 1834, were the principal events of this reign. 
William was succeeded in 1837, by her present 
majesty, Queen Victoria, the daughter of the 
Duke of Kent, one of the sons of George the 
Third. Females being excluded from the 

Questions. — 5. When did he die? For what was the 
reign of George the Fourth distinguished ? What is 
said of England? 6. When did George die? By whom 
was William the Fourth succeeded ? What were the 
events of William's reign ? By whom was he succeeded ? 



292 ENGLAND. 

throne of Hanover by the laws of that eonn- 
tr}-, Hanover, which had remained attached to 
England since the accession of the house of 
Brunswick, fell to the Duke of Cumberland,! 
another of the sons of George the Third. Dur-i 
ing the reign of Victoria, insurrections have 
occurred in India, and hostilities have beeni 
exchanged with China and Abyssinia. In I 
1853, England and Erance engaged in the 
Crimean War against Eussia. After several 
memorable battles, peace was made with Eus- 
sia in 1856. In general, however, this reign 
has been both a peaceful and prosperous one. I 
The example of the queen in her domestic re- 
lations has been most commendable. 

Questions. — 6. What is said of Hanover ? What are 
the events of this reign ? In general, what is said ? 



FKANCE. 



CHAPTEK XLII. 



The Foundation OF the French Monarchy — 
The Eeign of Clovis — Pepin — Charle- 
magne. 

1. The kingdom of France was founded by 
some warlike tribes from the northern parts 
of Germany, who crossed into Gaul towards 
the middle of the third century. From their 
sname, Franks, which mesms free-men, the coun- 
try was called France. 

2. The Frank kings were military chieftains, 
who had distinguished themselves. The third 
of these kings was -Meroveus, who defeated 
the terrible Attila^ king of the Huns, surnamed 
" the scourge of God." Meroveus gave his 
name to the first race of French kings, the 
Merovingians, and after him the crown became 
hereditary. His son, Childeric, succeeded him 
on the throne. About the year 481, Clovis, 

Questions. — 1. What is said of the inhabitants? 

2. What is said of the Frank kings ? Of Meroveus and 
his successors ? Of Clovis ? 

25* 293 



294 FRANCE. 

the son of Childeric, became king of the 
Franks, and is generally regarded as the 
founder of the French monarchy. 

3. Clotilda, the wife of Clovis, was a Chris- 
tian, and through her means, Clovis and many 
of his subjects embraced Christianity. It is 
related that at the battle of Tolbiac, the 
Franks had suffered terribly, and were already 
wavering, when Clovis, raising his arras to 
heaven, exclaimed, "God of Clotilda, give me 
victory, and I shall serve theel" Eallying 
his troops, he led them to the charge and won 
the day. The king kept his vow, and was 
baptized by St. Eemy, Archbishop of Eheims. 
Clovis made Paris the seat of his government, 
and after a long and prosperous reign, left his 
kingdom to be divided between his three sons, 
A. T>. 511. They were afterwards reunited. 

4. About the middle of the eighth century, 
a revolution took place, and Pepin, surnamedj 
the Short, was raised to the French throne. ! 
Twenty-two Merovingian kings had reigned. • 
It happened at this time that the Lombards,! 
who were already masters of the greater part I 
of Italy, extended their ravages to the very j 
walls of Kome. In his distress, Pope Stephen | 
applied for assistance to the king of France. 

Questions. — 3. What is said of Clotilda? To whom 
did Clovis leave his kingdom ? 4. In the eighth century 
what took place , 



FRANCE. 295 

^ 5. Pepin immediately crossed the Alps, de- 
' feated the Lombards, and obliged them to 
submit to humiliating terms of peace. Short- 
Ij after this, the Lombards again commenced 
'hostilities, and Pepin a second time defeated 
^them, and solemnly bestowed on Pope Stephen 
-and his successors in the pontifical chair, his 
conquests in Italy. It was by this means 
^that the head of the Christian Church was 
raised to the dignity of a temporal prince. 
c 6. Pepin was succeeded by his son Charle- 
'magne, or Charles the Great. Charles is said 
'to have been seven feet in height, of a robust 
■iand majestic appearance. He was eminent as 
a statesman, and as a warrior he far surpassed 
all the sovereigns of his age. He was frugal 
iin his diet and plain in his dress, and took 
particular delight in appearing ornamented 
<with the productions of his wife and daugh- 
'ters, who were usually employed at their nee- 
dles. 

;' 7. Charlemagne was the patron of sciences 
•and letters, and liked to be surrounded by 
f^wise and learned men. He founded several 
'public schools, and delighted in examining 

t 

I Questions. — 5. What did Pepin do? What did the 
I'Lombards do? By whom were they again defeated? 
What followed? 6. By whom was Pepin succeeded? 
What is said of Charles ? His diet, dress, &c. ? 7. How 
did Charlemagne protect science and encourage learning ? 



296 FRANCE. 

personally into the progress of the scholars. 
This wise sovereign bequeathed to his peo- 
ple a code of laws or ordinances, admired to 
this day, under the name of " Capitularies of 
Charlemagne." He gave his name to the se- 
cond race of French kings, the Carlovingians. 

8. He died in 814, in the seventy-first year 
of his age, and forty-seventh of his reign. His 
son, Louis the First, succeeded to the tlirone. 
The reign of this monarch was rendered un- 
happy by the unnatural rebellion of his sons. 
The ungrateful children twice dethroned their 
father, and again restored him to the throne. 
After the death of Louis, which took place in 
840, the most bitter contentions broke out be- 
tween his three sons, and thousands of their 
unhappy subjects were slaughtered in the ru- 
inous wars that followed. Peace was finally 
made by Louis receiving Germany ; Charles, 
France ; and Lothaire, Italy. 

9. Under the weak kings of the race of 
Charlemagne, numerous provinces Of France 
fell under the domination of usurping nobles : 
so that but little was left of the kingdom now 
known as France, at the time of the extinc- 
tion of the Carlovingian race, A. D. 987. 

Questions. — 7. What code of laws did he frame? 
8. When did he die? By whom was he succeeded? 
What is said of his reign? After his death, what took 
place ? How was peace made ? 9. What is said of 
France afterwards ? 



TEANCE, 



2^7 



CHAPTER XLIII. 

The Capetian Eace of Kings — From A. D. 
987 TO 1328. 

1. The first king of this famil}^ was Hugh 
Capet. He was an able sovereign, and his ad- 
ministration was directed with wisdom and 
moderation. He never assumed the ensigns 
of royalty, and even on great occasions ap- 
peared in a plain and simple dress. 

2. Robert, who succeeded Hugh in 996, re- 
gained Burgundy. The time of his reign em- 
braced the year 1000, a period which had been 
looked forward to as the Millennium and the 
end of the world. The prevalence of this idea 
filled society with apprehensions. Hostilities 
were carried on with Normandy during the 
reigns of Henry the First, who ascended the 
throne in 1031, and of Philip the First, in 
1060. William, Duke of Normandy, became 
William the Conqueror, of England, in 1066, 
and the hostilities thus begun between the 
French and English monarchs, were perpetu- 
ated by their successors. During the reign of 

Questions. — 1. Who was the first king of this race? 
"What is said of him ? 2. Who was his successor ? What 
is said ? What hostilities were carried on, and by whom ? 
What is said of William of Normandy ? 



298 FRANCE. 

Philip, the first Crusade was preached by Peter 
the Hermit, in 1095. 

3. Philip was succeeded, in 1108, by his son, 
Louis YI., an able and accomplished sovereign, 
who enjoyed a prosperous and useful reign. 
At the close of his life, when he found that 
death was approaching, he called his son, who 
was to succeed him, and addressed him in these 
words: "My son, remember that ro^-alty is 
nothing more than a public charge, of which 
you must render a strict account to Him who 
makes kings and will judge them." He died 
in 1137, leaving his throne to Louis YIL 

4. Philip the Second, surnamed Augustus, 
succeeded in 1180. He joined Jlichard the 
First, of England, in the third Crusade to 
Palestine. By the seizure of Normandy and 
other of the former provinces of France, Philip 
Augustus nearly doubled his domains. These 
steps brought on a war with John, king of 
England, and Otho IV., of Germany. Their 
allied armies were entirely defeated by Philip 
at Bovines, in 1214. 

5. Philip died in 1223, and was succeeded 
on the throne by his son, Louis YIII., who, 
after a short reign of three years, left his 

Questions, — 2. Of the first Crusade ? 3. At the close 
of his life, how did he address his son ? When did he 
die? 4. Who succeeded? Whom did he join? What 
is said of France? 5. By whom was he succeeded? 



FRANCE. 299 

crown and throne to his son, Louis IX. This 
prince, commonly called Saint Louis, was only 
twelve years of age when he ascended the 
throne, and during his minority, his mother,' 
Blanche of Castile, filled the ofiice of regent. 

6. In the person of St. Louis were united 
ail those eminent qualities that distinguish an 
illustrious sovereign, with all the virtues that 
adorn a Christian. Every action of his life 
was distinguished for benevolence, piety, and 
purity of intention. His illustrious and pious 
mother watched over his infancy and youth 
with the most tender solicitude, and endeav- 
ored by word and example to instil into his 
youthful mind sentiments of piety and re- 
ligion. 

7. Frequently she would say to him : "My 
son, I love you devotedly ; but I would prefer 
to follow you to the silent tomb, rather than 
hear that you had committed one mortal sin" 
Oh, beautiful example of true Christian virtue ! 
May the mothers of our country impress the 
same maxims upon their children ; and may 
children, from the example of the youthful 
Louis, learn to listen with docility to the ad- 
vice of their parents. 

Questions. — 5. To whom did he leave the throne? 

6. What is said of St. Louis? What did his mother do ? 

7. What would she frequently say to him ? 



300 FRANCE. 

8. In the early part of his reign, France 
was invaded by Henry the Third, of England; 
but he was signally defeated by St. Louis, 
near Taillebourg, and finally compelled to sign 
a treaty of peace. The deplorable condition 
of Palestine deeply afflicted the generous soul 
of St. Louis, and prompted him to engage inj 
two disastrous crusades, in the second of which'' 
he died of fever, near Tunis, in the fifty-sixth 
year of his age, and forty-fourth of his reign 
A. D. 1270, leaving Philip the Third as hisj 
successor. 

9. In 1285, the throne of France was occu 
pied by Philip the Fourth, the grandson of 
St. Louis. The reign of this monarch is ren-i 
dered memorable for the trial of the Knightsi 
Templars, and the suppression of their order.! 
The Knights Templars were a military order, 
instituted at Jerusalem for the purpose of de- 
fending the Christians of the Holy Landi 
against the attacks of the Infidels. They oc- 
cupied a building in the city which stood near| 
the site of Solomon's Temple, from which the] 
order derived its name. 

10. Charges of the greatest magnitude were| 



Questions.— 8. In the early part of his reign, whatj 
took place ? What afflicted his soul ? How did he die ?j! 
Who was his successor ? 9. Who succeeded ? For what,| 
is his reign memorable? Who were the Knights Tem- 
plars ? From what is their name derived ? 



FRANCE. 801 

brought against the order, and a committee 
was appointed in Paris, before which a great 
number of the knights were examined; all, 
with the exception of three, acknowledged 
that they were guilty of the denial of Christ, 
of sacrilege, and many other enormous crimes. 
' 11. But as the persons accused belonged to 
an order which was religious as well as mili- 
'tary, it became necessary to refer the affair to 
the ecclesiastical authorities. Accordingly, a 
general council was convened at Vienne, before 
which the investigation of the conduct of the 
Templars was laid. The examination into the 
'affair had already occupied nearly five years, 
and now, after a deliberation of four months 
more, the order was suppressed, and the pro- 
perty belonging to it transferred to the order 
of the Knights Hospitallers of St. John. 

12. Louis the Tenth ascended the throne 
left vacant by his father in 1302, and died in 
1316. In the succession of Capetian kings, 
3on had hitherto followed father upon the 
throne for more than three hundred years. 
The heir of Louis, however, died in infancy, a 
year after his father, and Philip, the brother 

• —^ 

li Questions. — 10. What was brought against them? 
)f what did they confess themselves guilty ? 11. What 
's said of the persons accused? What was convened? 
Vhat is said of the examination ? 12. Who succeeded 
?hilip? What is said of the succession? 
26 

I 



302 FRANCE. 

of Louis, who had meanwhile been regent, as^l 
cended the throne in 1317. Louis left a daugh-i 
ter, but by a law passed at this time, calledj 
the Salic Law, females were then and foreveri 
after excluded from inheriting the crown of 
France. Charles the Fourth succeeded his 
brother Philip in 1322, and reigned for six 
years. He left no direct heirs, and the throne 
passed to his kinsman of the branch of the| 
Yalois. 



CHAPTEE XLIY. *> 

Branch of Yalois — From A.D. 1328 to 1498. 

1. In 1328, Philip the Sixth, the grandson 
of Philip the Third, ascended the throne. His 
succession, however, was disputed by Edward 
the Third of England, who claimed the crowr 
of France in right of his mother, the daughter 
of Philip the Third. But, according to the 
Salic Law, his mother was unable to inherit the 
throne, and Philip contended that a mother 
could not transmit to her children a right 
which she never possessed. 



Questions. — 12. Who succeeded Louis? What was 
the Salic Law ? Who was the last king of the Capetian 
race?— 1. In 1328, what took place? By whom was 
the succession disputed ? What is said of Edward's right ? 



PEANOE. 303 

^ 2. In the mean time, Edward invaded France 
'it the head of a powerful army, and gained 
\he famous battle of Cressy, in 1346, in which 
bis eldest son, the Black Prince, so called from 
ihe color of his armor, displayed those military 
abilities which afterwards rendered him so il- 
'lustrious. It was also at the battle of Cressy 
-that the English first made use of artillery. 
They had four or five pieces of cannon, which 
greatly contributed towards obtaining the 
victory. 

3. Edward, pursuing his good fortune, took 
the city of Calais after an obstinate siege of 
twelve months. Enraged at the resistance he 
had met, he resolved that the inhabitants 
ishould atone for the perseverance with which 
they had defended the city, by the sacrifice of 
Ithe lives of six of their most illustrious com- 
panions. He therefore added to the terms of 
surrender, that six of the chief citizens should 
come forth, with ropes about their necks, to 
present to him the keys of the city and castle. 

4. The news of this decree spread conster- 
nation among the inhabitants; but the fearful 
gloom was dispelled by the noble patriotism 

Questions.— 2. What did Edward do? What did the 

English use for the first time in this battle ? 3. What 

*!is said of Edward? What did he resolve? What did 

I Ihe add, &c. ? 4. What is said of the news of this de- 

Doree? 



304 FBANCE. 

of Eustace Saint Pierre, and his five compan- 
ions, who offered themselves as victims to ap- 
pease the anger of the British monarch. The 
six patriots, attended by the governor and 
many of the most distinguished citizens of 
Calais, presented themselves at the English 
camp and delivered the keys to Edward. 

5. The English barons, moved at the sight,' 

entreated the monarch to spare the lives of ' 

the citizens; but the king appeared inflexible,! 

and ordered their immediate execution. Atj 

this moment, Queen Philippa, who had just i 

arrived from England, entered his apartment, I 

and threw herself at the feet of her royal hus- j 

band, and by her tears and supplications pre- j 

vailed upon hira to revoke his sentence, and j 

to spare the lives of the unfortunate victims. | 

The city of Calais remained from this time in j 

possession of the British for more than two i 

hundred years. | 

6. Philip died in 1350, leaving the throne to | 

his son, John the Second, surnamed the Good. \ 

During the reign of this king, France was j 

again invaded by Edward the Third of Eng- ' 

land. Edward, the Black Prince, son of the J 

Questions.— 4. What did the six companions do? | 
6. What is said of the barons ? The king ? Of Qu'een ! 
Philippa? How long did Calais remain in the hands 
of the British ? 6. When did Philip die ? During his 
reign, what is said of France ? What is said of Edward, 
the Black Prince ? 



FRANCE. 305 

Eiiglisli monarch, commanded the army, and 
gained over the French the memorable battle 
of Poictiers, at which John, the French king, 
was taken prisoner, and afterwards led captive 
to London. 

7. After remaining in captivity for some 
time, John obtained his release on condition 
that he should pay the sum of one million five 
hundred thousand pounds sterling as the price 
of his ransom. But on his return to France, 
finding himself unable to comply with his en- 
gagement, he returned to England, saying, 
that "if honor were banished from every other 
place, it should find an asylum in the breasts 
of kings." He was received with every mark 
of respect by Edward, and died in captivity, 
A. D. 1364. 

8. On the death of John, his son, Charles the 
Fifth, surnamed the Wise, succeeded to the 
throne. He labored to retrieve the losses and 
to remove the evils that had befallen the king- 
dom during the preceding reign. In this he 
was successful, and in the space of five years 
the English were deprived of all their posses- 
sions in France, except Calais and a few other 
places. Besides being an able statesman, 

Questions. — 6. Of John? 7. What did John obtain? 
What is related on his return to France? What did he 
Bay? 8. Who succeeded John? What is said of him? 
Of what was he the patron ? 
2Q* 



806 FRANCE. 

Charles was a distinguif^hed patron of litera- 
ture. His library contained nine hundred 
volumes, which was a considerable number 
for that period, as the art of printing was yet: 
undiscovered. 

9. Charles the Sixth ascended the throne 
of his father in 1380. The reign of this prince 
was very unfortunate. He fell into a state of 
insanity, which i-endered him incapable of at- 
tending to the aifairs of government. Eegents 
were appointed, whose misconduct threw the 
kingdom into civil war. Taking advantage 
of these calamities, Henry the Fifth, king of 
England, invaded France, and gained the me- 
morable battle of Agincourt, in 1415. ; 

10. After this victory a treaty was con- 
cluded, by which the French promised the 
throne to Henry on the death of Charles.: 
Henry and Charles both died shortly after this i 
event, A. D. 1422. ] 

11. Charles the Seventh, surnamed the Yic-; 
torious, asserted his right to the throne of hisi 
father, whilst the infant Henry the Sixth, of I 
England, was proclaimed king of France,' 
under the regency of his uncle, the Duke of | 

Questions. —8. What is said of his library? 9. Who 
succeeded to the throne? What is said of his reign? |l 
What did Henry the Fifth do? 10. After this battle, 
what took place ? What is said of Henry and Charles ? 
11. What did Charles the Seventh do ? 



FKANCE. 307 

^ Bedford. War ensued between the two na- 
t tions, and the English invaded the country 
I and laid siege to the city of Orleans. When 
i the place was reduced to the last extremity, 

and on the point of yielding, it was delivered 
e through the courage of the renowned heroine, 
8 Joan of Arc. 
! 12. Joan was a young girl, about seventeen 

years of age, who had lived an humble life in 
i a village on the borders of Lorraine. When 
5 the hope of saving Orleans was almost aban- 
5 doned, she presented herself to the governor, 
J and told him, with all the appearance of 
•! youthful sincerity, that she had been divinely 

commissioned to raise the siege of that city, 

• and to procure the coronation of Charles in 
i the city of Eheims. 

( > 13. After undergoing a rigid examination 

8 before a committee appointed for that purpose, 

and also before the court and the king him- 

• self, it was generally admitted that her mis- 
'( sion was supernatural. She accordingly re- 
1 ceived the armor of a knight, and was in- 
,1 trusted with the liberation of Orleans. As 
' she approached the city, her presence inspired 

Questions. — 11. What did the English do? What is 
! Baid of the place? 12. What is said of Joan? To whom 
, did she present herself? What did she tell him? 
, 13. What was admitted? What was intrusted to her? 
As she approached, what is said of her ? 



808 FRANCE 

the inhabitants with confidence, while it 
spread dismay among the English, who hastily 
abandoned the siege, and retired with precipi- | 
tation. Tliey were, however, pursued by | 
Joan at the head of the French army, and en- | 
tirely defeated at Patay, with a loss of five ; 
thousand men, while the French lost only one [ 
of their number. From this event Joan was | 
called the Maid of Orleans. i 

14. The second part of her mission, which | 
remained yet to be accomplished, was equally | 
arduous and dangerous. The city of Eheims, i 
and the intermediate provinces, were in the j 
possession of the English and their allies; to ! 
gain admission to that city under these cir- j 
cumstances, seemed almost impossible. Charles, | 
however, placed himself under her guidance,; 
commenced his march, and as he advanced, i 
all obstacles disappeared, or were easily over- 1 
come; the citizens of Rheims expelled the| 
garrison, and received him with every demon- 1 
stration of joy. Here, Charles was crowned; 
in the great cathedral, 1429. 

15. During the coronation, Joan, in her war-! 
like dress, and with her banner unfurled, stood I 

_ — -j 

Questions. — 13. By whom were they pursued? Froml 
this event what was she called ? 14. What is said of | 
the second part, &c. ? Of the city of Rheims ? Of i 
Charles? Of the citizens of Rheims? 15. During thoj 
coronation, what is said of Joan? jl 



FRANCE. 309 

near the altar; and as soon as the ceremony 
was finished, she threw herself upon her 
knees, at the feet of Charles, declared that 
her mission was accomplished, and, with tears 
in her eyes, begged to be, allowed to return to 
her former humble station; but the king was 
unwilling to part with her services so soon, 

'and entreated her to remain for some time 
with the army. With this request she at 

'length was prevailed upon to comply. 

16. Her courage always remained the same 

'after this event, but her good fortune seemed 

Ho forsake her. In attempting to raise the 

'siege of the city of Compiegne, she fell into 

the hands of the English, who, to gratify their 

'rage for the many losses they had sustained 
[through her valor, condemned her under a 
['charge of many pretended crimes, and caused 
ther to be burned to death in the public square 
|"at Eouen, in 1431. Such was the unhappy 
jjfate of the Maid of Orleans. 

17. Charles died in 1461, and was succeeded 
by his son, Louis the Eleventh, at whose death, 
in 1483, Charles the Eighth, his son, the last 
of this family of Yalois, ascended the throne, 



Questions. — 15. What did she declare? What did 
the king entreat? 16. What is said of her courage? 
What happened to her? What did they do with her? 
*17. When did Charles die ? Who were his two succes- 
sors? 



310 FRANCE. 

and died, in 1498. He was without heirs, and 
Louis, duke of Orleans, great-grandson of 
Charles the Fifth of France, succeeded as the 
first of the Orleans branch of the Yalois. 



CHAPTEE XLY. 



Branch of Yalois-Orleans — From the Ac-, 
CESSION OF Louis XII. to the Eeign op j 
Henry III., A. D. 1498 to 1589. 

I 

1. Louis the Twelfth was a wise and pop- j 
ular sovereign, and gained the title of father! 
of his people. Being one day urged to punish j 
those who had been his enemies during thej 
preceding reign, he replied: "It is unworthy j 
of the King of France to revenge the injuries j 
done to the Duke of Orleans." He reduced i 
Milan and Genoa, and for sonie time had pos-l 
session of Naples. i 

2. At his death, in 1515, he was succeeded* 
by his cousin, who assumed the name of Fran-j 
cis the First. When Francis ascended thei 
throne, he was in the flower of his age, of a! 
chivalrous disposition, and fond of military! 

Questions. — 17. What occurred on tlie death of the! 
last? — 1. What is said of Louis the Twelfth? Whenj 
urged to punish, &c., what did he reply? What did he 
reduce? 2. By whom was he succeeded? 



FRANCE. 311 

glory. On the death of Maximilian, emperor 
of Germany, Francis and Charles the Fifth of 
Spain became rival candidates for the imperial 
throne. Charles was the successful candidate; 
and Francis, deeming himself injured, declared 
war against his rival. 

3. Francis, unfortunately, quarrelled with 
De Bourbon, one of the ablest of his generals : 
the latter basely abandoned his country and 
his sovereign, and offered his services to the 
emperor Charles. Bourbon commanded the 
Spaniards at the battle of Biagrossa, in which 
the French were defeated, with the loss of 
their celebrated general, the illustrious Bayard, 
surnamed the " knight without fear, and 
without reproach." Bourbon is said to have 
wept like a child over the dying hero: "Weep 
not for me," exclaimed the magnanimous 
Bayard, " but for yourself. I die in the ser- 
vice of my country; you triumph in the ruin 
of yours." 

4. Francis now took upon himself the com- 
mand of the army, marched to Italy, and laid 
siege to Pavia, but was there taken prisoner 

Questions. — 2. On the death of Maximilian, what 
took place ? What did Francis do ? 3. With whom did 
he quarrel? Whom did Bourbon command? What is 
said of Bourbon? What did Bayard exclaim? What 
did Francis do? 4. How long did he remain in cap- 
tivity ? 



812 FRANCE. 

by the imperialists under the command of the 
traitor Bourbon. After a captivity of thirteen 
months, he regained his liberty, and having 
crossed the boundary of his own dominions, 
he mounted his horse, and waving his hat, he 
exclaimed, " I am yet a king ! ^' 

5. The conditions on which he obtained his 
release were so unreasonable, that Francis re- 
fused to comply with them, and this refusal 
brought on another sanguinary contest between 
the two rivals. After the war had raged for 
some time, with but little advantage on either 
side, a truce was concluded, and Charles and 
Francis were brought to a personal interview, 
at a village on the borders of France, where 
the warmest expressions of friendship passed 
between them. The truce was not lasting, 
but no important results followed the subse- 
quent state of war during the reign. 

6. Francis died in 1547, and was succeeded 
by his son, Henry the Second. The reign of 
this monarch was signalized by his wars with 
Charles the Fifth and his son PhiUp the 
Second, of Spain, husband of Mary, Queen of 
England, and by the recovery of Calais, which 



Questions. — 4. Having crossed, &c., what did he 
exclaim? 5. What is said of the conditions? What 
followed? What is related of Charles and Francis? 
6. By whom was Francis succeeded? What is said of 
his reign ? - 



FRANCE. 813 

was taken by the celebrated Duke of Gnise, 
after it had remained in the possession of the 
English for two hundred and ten years. His 
death was occasioned by an accident that hap- 
pened him at a tournament, in 1559. 

7. He was succeeded by his son, Francis the 
Second, husband of Mary, Queen of Scots, who 
died after a short reign of a little more than 
one year, and left the throne to his brother, 
Charles the Ninth, then a boy in the tenth 
year of his age. The reign of this prince was 
considerably distracted by the civil wars that 
were carried on on account of religion. Dur- 
ino: these contests, the Protestants lost their 
most distinguished leader, the Prince of 
Conde. On the other hand, Charles had to 
lament the loss of the firmest support of his 
throne, the Duke of Gruise, who was cutoff by 
assassination. At length peace was restored, 
and the Protestants obtained free toleration in 
religion. 

8. The most memorable transaction in the 
reio-n of Charles, was the massacre which took 
place on Saint Bartholomew's day, 1572. So 
various an d contradictory are the accoun ts given 

Questions. — 6. How was his death occasioned? 
7. By whom was he succeeded? What is said of the 
reign of this prince? Whom did the Protestants lose ? 
What had Charles to lament? 8. What is the most me- 
morable transaction of this reign ? 
27 



314 FRANCE. 

of this event, that it is a very difficult task, at 
the present time, to arrive at the true state of I 
the facts. On the occasion of the marriage of 
the sister of Charles, Coligny and other Pro- 
testant leaders were invited to court. It hap- 
pened, shortly after their arrival at Paris, that 
Coligny was severely wounded as he passed 
through the streets. 

9. His wounds were not dangerous; but his 
followers crowded to his residence, and their I 
threats of vengeance so terrified the ministers 
and the mother of Charles, that in a secret | 
council the king was prevailed upon to give 
his assent to the destruction of the leaders of 
the Protestant party. It does not appear from 
the close connection of events which preceded j 
the massacre, that it was a studied or precon- 
certed plan, and that the Protestant leaders 
were invited to the capital under a show of 
friendship, that they might the more easily be 
destroyed. It was rather dictated by fear and 
the dread of vengeance. 

10. The massacre took place during the 
night of the 23d of August, and a part of the 
following day. The residence of Coligny was 
forced, and he was assassinated, with several 
of his friends. The people joined in the work 

Questions. — 8. Who were invited to court? What 
happened? 9. What is said of his followers? Of the 
massacre? 10. When did the massacre take place? 
What is said of the people ? 



rRANCE. 815 

(of death, and every Protestant that fell in 
their way was sacrificed to their fury. Al- 
though the massacre was only intended for 
the capital, yet the tragedy of Paris was imi- 
tated in several other cities. 
1 11. With regard to the number of the vic- 
itims, it is impossible to speak with certainty. 
Some writers exaggerate the number to sixty 
^thousand, some to thirty, and others to twenty 
lor fifteen thousand. The martyrologist of the 
cReformers adopted a means of ascertaining the 
jreal number, which may enable us to form a 
probable conjecture. He procured from the 
ministers in the different towns where the 
massacre took place, lists of the number of per- 
isons who suffered ; he published the list in 
•1582, and in all France he could discover the 
snames of no more than seven hundred and 
eighty-six persons. 

t 12. No sooner was the awful deed commit- 
Ited, than shame and remorse filled the breasts 
of those who had been the authors of it. 
Charles, in order to palliate his conduct, wrote 
to all the courts of Europe, stating, that hav- 
ing detected the Protestants in a horrid plot 
lagainst his life and his authority, he had cut 

Questions. — 11. What is said of the number? Of 
^3ome writers? How many according to the Reformed 
i'martyrologist ? 12. What did Charles do ? 



316 FRANCE. 

off the leaders of the party, and thus escaped 
the imminent danger to which he was exposed. 
13. Many of the surrounding princes, de-ij 
ceived by this statement, and being unacquaint-ii 
ed with the true nature of the facts, congrat-j 
ulated him on his good fortune. Among others, 
Pope GJ-regory the Thirteenth, on receiving the!; 
account as given by Charles, offered up public! 
thanks, not indeed that he rejoiced in the | 
death of the supposed traitors, but for the; 
preservation, as he thought, of the French j 
monarch and his kingdom from ruin. Charles! 
was succeeded, in 1574, by his brother, Henry j 
the Third, a weak and fickle prince. Henry j 
was assassinated by James Clement, a Do-i 
minican friar, A. D. 1589. He had, himself, the 1 
year before, caused the assassination of the 
Duke of Gruise, the son of the former duke, | 
who aspired to the throne. The house of Ya- 
lois became finally extinct in Henry. 

Questions. — 13. What is said of many princes? Of 
Pope Gregory ? By whom was Charles succeeded ? 
What was his fate ? What further is said of him? 



FRANCE. 817 



CHAPTER XLYI. 

House op Bourbon — From Henry TV. to 
THE Death op Louis XY. — From A. D. 
1589 TO 1774. 

1. After the death of the late king, without 
heirs of his own family, Henry de Bourbon, 
King of Navarre, ascended the throne of 
France as Henr}^ the Fourth. A powerful 
faction was formed against him, but he com- 
pletely defeated his opponents in the famous 
battle of Ivry. Henry had been educated in 
the Protestant religion, though the Catholic 
religion was professed by the great majority 
of his subjects. 

2. The king began seriously to turn his 
mind to the subject of religion, and asked sev- 
eral Protestant divines if he could be saved 
by professing the Catholic doctrine, and being 
answered in the affirmative, he concluded to 
embrace that religion. Accordingly, in 1593, 
although there were doubtless other motives 
for his doing so, he abjured the Protestant re- 
ligion and declared himself a Catholic. 

Questions. — 1. Who next ascended the throne ? What 
was formed against him ? In what had Henry been ed- 
ucated ? 2. To what did he turn his mind ? What did 
he ask ? In 1593, what did he do ? 
27* 



318 FRANCE. 

3. Henry, having gained possession of the 
throne, was governed by principles of the 
wisest policy. By the celebrated Edict of 
Nantes, in 1598, he granted free toleration 
in religion to all the Protestants within his 
dominions. While by his great abilities he was 
elevating France to a high state of prosperity 
and happiness, he fell a victim to a half-in- 
sane fanatic, named Eavaillac. As the kins: 
rode through the streets of Paris, his carriage 
was stopped by some obstruction in the way; 
Eavaillac, seizing this favorable opportunity, 
mounted upon the wheel of the carriage, and 
plunged a dagger into Henry's breast, before 
any one could oppose him, A. D. 1619. 

4. JSTo king has better deserved the title of 
G-reat than Henry lY. Brave almost to rash- 
ness, of a fond and generous disposition, and 
great simplicity of taste, he loved his subjects 
as a father loves his children, and was ever| 
disposed to clemency towards those who offend- ! 
ed him, and even threatened his life. When! 
Henry was besieging Paris, the inhabitants! 
were a prey to all the horrors of starvation, i 
and the city would have soon been compelled 

Questions. — 3. What did he grant by the Edict of I 
Nantes? Relate the manner of his death. 4. What was 
the character of Henry? Tell us about the siege of 
Paris. 



FRANCE. 319 

to surrender ; but the heroic king, learning 
the fearful sufferings of the women and chil- 
dren, sent in provisions for the non-combat- 
ants. He preferred to listen to the voice of 
humanity, and delay victory, rather than con- 
sult his own interests at the cost of his sub- 
jects' lives. Henry's private life, however, 
was not in all respects commendable. 

5. Henry was succeeded by his son, LOuis 
the Thirteenth, at the age of nine years. On 
coming of age, Louis chose for his prime min- 
ister the celebrated Cardinal Eichelieu. The 
abilities of Kichelieu were conspicuous in all 
his undertakings. While he extended the 
glory of France, he became the zealous patron 
of literature, and instituted the French Acad- 
emy. Louis died in the 34th year of his 
reign, A. D. 1643. 

6. Louis the Fourteenth, surnamed the 
Great, succeeded to the throne at the early 
age of five j^ears ; the affairs of the kingdom 
being managed by the prime minister. Cardi- 
nal Mazarin. The reign of this monarch was 
one of the most splendid recorded in history. 
The love of glory was his ruling passion. This 
he gratified, not only by the military achieve- 

QuESTiONS. — 5. By whom was Henry succeeded? 
Who was prime minister? What is said of his abilities? 
When did Louis die? 6. Who succeeded to the throne? 
What is said of his reign ? What was his ruling passion ? 



320 FRANCE. 

ments which illustrated the early part of hig 
reign, but also by the patronage which he ex- 
tended to literature and science. 

7. He also promoted the arts of peace by 
giving encouragement to manufactures and 
commerce. He embellished the ca]3ital, and 
constructed the palaces of Yersailles and the 
Louvre, and other great works. The reign of 
Louis the Fourteenth has been justly styled the 
Augustan Age of French Literature, and is 
distinguished for the number of eminent men 
who flourished during that period. Turenne, 
Conde, Yillars, led the victorious armies of 
France; Duquesne, Tourville, Duguay-Trouin, 
made her navy equal, if not superior, to that 
of England; whilst Yauban perfected the 
science of military engineering. The arts 
boasted of such names as Le Poussin, Lesueur, 
and Lebrun ; and literature was enriched by 
Corneille, Racine, Moliere, La Fontaine, La 
Bruyere, Boileau. Meanwhile, Bossuet, Bour- 
daloue, Massillon, and Fenolon, were creating 
imperishable models of sacred eloquence ; and 
Mole, Lamoignon, and d'Aguesseau, were up- 
holding the dignity of the laws. Louis died 
in the 78th year of his age, and in the 73d of 



Questions. — 7. What did he promote ? What has his 
reign been styled, and why ? Tell us the names of some 
of the eminent men. When did he die ? 



FRANCE. 321 

his reign, A. D. 1715, his son and his eldest 
grandson having preceded him to the tomb. 

8. Louis the Fifteenth, the great-grandson 
of the late monarch, succeeded to the throne at 
the age of five years, under the regency of the 
Duke of Orleans. Louis engaged in the war 
of the Austrian Succession, in which he sup- 
ported the claims of Charles, the son of the 
elector of Bavaria, to the throne of Austria, 
in opposition to Maria Theresa, who was sup- 
ported by Great Britain. 

9. In 1756, war broke out between France 
and G-reat Britain respecting their American 
possessions. This war was terminated by the 
peace of Paris, in 1763, by which the most 
important possessions of France in North 
America were ceded to G-reat Britain. Louis 
died in 1774, in the 65th year of his age, and 
the 59th of his reign. The reign of this mon« 
arch and that of his predecessor occupied a 
period of one hundred and thirty-two years. 
The immoral example of this court in latter 
years proved most pernicious to the people. 

Questions. — 8. Who succeeded? In what did Louis 
engage ? 9. In 1756, what took place ? How was this 
war terminated ? When did Louis die ? What is said 
of his reign, &c. ? 



322 FRANCE. 



CHAPTEE XLYII. 

Louis the Sixteenth — The Eevolution — 
Bonaparte. 

1. Louis the Sixteenth, the grandson of the 
late monarch, succeeded to the throne in 1774. 
This virtuous and benevolent prince com- 
menced his reigri under difficulties of no or- 
dinary nature. The nation was deeply in 
debt, and the people groaned under a heavy 
weight of taxes. 

2. In the early part of his reign, he acknowl- 
edged the independence of the United States, 
openly received Franklin and Deane as her 
ambassadors, and generously resolved, at the 
cost of a war with England, to aid the Amer- 
icans in securing the liberty of their country. 
This noble action on the part of Louis the 
Sixteenth should endear his memory to every 
American. 

3. Yarious reasons might be assigned for 
the origin of the French Eevolution. The 
public debt had been increased by the benevo- 

QuESTiONs . — 1. Who succeeded to the throne ? What 
is said of him ? Of the nation ? 2. In the early part 
of his reign, what did he do? What is said of this no- 
ble action ? 3. What are some of the causes assigned 
for the French Revolution ? 



FKANCE. 828 

lent effort of Louis in aiding the people of the 
United States; a love for republican princi- 
ples was spread throughout France, on the 
return of the French officers and soldiers, after 
the successful termination of the American 
Kevolution; a general corruption of morals, 
and contempt for religion, prevailed; while 
the principles of atheism and infidelity were 
widely diffused by the writings of Voltaire, 
Rousseau, and others. Thes^ may be consider- 
ed as the principal causes that brought about 
the fearful storm which spread desolation over 
France, and convulsed the continent of Europe. 
4. In order to restore the deranged condi- 
tion of the finances, an assembly, called the 
Notables, was convoked, and shortly after- 
wards a demand was made for the convocation 
of the States General, which comprised the 
three orders of nobility, clergy, and commons. 
This body met at Versailles in 1789, but it 
was not long before the members disagreed 
among themselves ; the commons seized upon 
the legislative authority, declared themselves 
the representatives of the people, and styled 
themselves the National Assembly. Of this 
Assembly, Bailly was president, while the 

Questions, — 4. In order. &c., what assembly was con- 
voked ? What demand was made ? When did this body 
meet ? What did the commons do ? Of this assembly, 
who was president? 



324 FRANCE. 

Duke of Orleans and Mirabeau were the two 
most prominent members. 

5. In the mean time, a violent insurrection 
broke out in Paris. The Hotel des Invalides 
was taken by surj^rise, and thirty thousand 
muskets were seized ; the prison of the Bastile 
was demolished, the governor was assassinated 
and his head carried through the streets 
amidst the shouts of the infuriated mob. At 
the news of these proceedings, Louis hastened 
to the capital, in the hope of being able to 
allay the tumult. In this he was successful. 
He addressed the people with the warmest 
expressions of affection. The whole multitude 
shouted, " Yive le Eoi ! " and the king again 
returned to Versailles. 

6. But scarcely had he departed, when the 
insurrection was renewed with increased vio- 
lence. The mob directed their vengeance 
against those whom they considersd as their 
oppressors, and the whole city of Paris pre- 
sented a scene of blood. They finally went 
in a body to Versailles, and demanded that 
the king should return to Paris. In compli- 
ance with their request, Louis, accompanied 
by the royal family, set out to the capital ; he 

Questions. — 5. What broke out? What places were 
taken, and what was done? What did Louis do? 
6. What was renewed? What did the mob do? Where 
did they go ? Where did Louis return? 



PRANCE. 325 

was protected, however, from violence, by- 
Marquis de Lafayette, who commanded a body 
of troops styled the National Guards. 

7. The Eevolution now began to make rapid 
advances ; the privileges of the nobility and 
clergy were abolished ; the church lands were 
confiscated, the monasteries suppressed, and 
royal authority was nearly destroyed. The 
National Assembly drew up a new constitution, 
and was afterwards called the Constituent 
Assembly. 

8. In the' mean time, the king and the royal 
family left the palace of Tuileries, and en- 
deavored to escape from France; but they 
were overtaken near the frontiers and brought 
back to Paris. The Constituent Assembly 
separated on the 80th of September, 1791, and 
another body" was convened in October, styled 
the Legislative Assembly. 

9. Previous to this period, several political 
associations \vere formed, of which the Jacobin 
Club was the most prominent. The members 
of this factious association, men of the most 
abandoned principles, governed the proceed- 

QuESTioNS. — 6. By whom was he protected ? 7. What 
is said of the Revolution ? The privileges of the nobil- 
ity ? The church lands? The monasteries? 8. What 
did the king do ? What did the Constituent Assembly 
do ? 9. What were formed? What is said of the mem- 
bers? 

28 



326 FRANCE. 

ings of the Assembly, and proved a source of 
innumerable evils to the country. Another 
association, styled the club of Cordeliers, sur-l 
passed even the Jacobins in their open con- 
tempt of religion, government, and law. 

10. On the 21st of September, 1792, a new 
body was convened, styled the National Con- 
vention. At its first meeting, the regal gov- 
ernment was abolished, and France declared a 
republic. The next step was to consummate 
the drama: the king himself was arraigned 
before the Convention to answer various 
charges. In vain did Louis refute the absurd 
charges of which he was accused ; his enemies 
thirsted for his blood, and the sentence of 
death was pronounced upon him. 

11. On the 21st of January, 1793, Louis thei 
Sixteenth, after taking an affectionate leave 
of his wife, his children, and his sister, the, 
princess Elizabeth, was led to execution. Onj 
reaching the scaffold, he viewed the spectators^ 
with calmness, and addressed them, saying :. 
" I die innocent ; I pardon all my enemies,! 
and I pray that France may not suffer for thei 

blood she is about to shed." At this moment! 

. 1 

Questions. — 9. What is said of the club of Cordeliers ?j 
10. In 1792, what was do.ne? At its first sitting? What! 
was the next step ? What sentence was pronounced upon! 
him? 11. In January, 1793, what took place? Onj 
reaching the scaffold, what is said of him ? What did hej 
pay ? What was done ? I 



PRAN-CE. 327 

his voice was drowned by the noise of the 
drums; he then calmly placed his head under 
the guillotine, and as the fatal axe descended, 
the courageous priest who attended him ex- 
claimed, " Son of Saint Louis, ascend to hea- 
ven! " 

12. Within a year after the death of the 
king, his amiable and virtuous consort, Queen 
Marie Antoinette, was led to the scaffold and 
executed, amidst furious cries of Vive la Be- 
publique. A few months after this, the prin- 
cess Elizabeth shared the fate of the queen, 
and in 1795, the young dauphin, Louis the 
Seventeenth, an interesting child, died of a 
[disease contracted from confinement and the 
cruel treatment received. Of all the members 
of the royal family who were within reach, the 
daughter of Louis was the only one that es- 
caped the fearful storm that desolated France. 
1 13. During these dreadful proceedings, the 
National Convention became divided into two 
factions ; the one called the Mountain Party, 
headed by Eobespierre, Danton, and Marat ; 
the other styled the Girondists, of which Bris- 
i5ot and Condorcet were the leaders. The 
Mountain Party prevailed, and Brissot and all 

' Questions. — 11. What did the priest exclaim? 
12. Who was next led to execution? Who shared the 
'ate of the queen ? Who escaped ? 13. During these 
oroceedings, what occurred ? 



328 FRANCE. 

the leaders of the Grirondists were put to death. 
Among the rest was that monster of vice and 
cruelty, the Duke of Orleans, father of Louis 
Philip, who suffered by the hands of those 
very men whom he had raised to power. 

14. The dominion of Eobespierre is styled 
" The Eeign of Terror." The cruelties of this 
man almost exceed belief Hundreds and thou- 
sands were sacrificed to his vengeance, and to 
that of his associates. Many were seized and 
hurried off to the guillotine without trial, or 
without even being informed of the charges 
for which they suffered. Happily for man- 
kind, his bloody career was destined to be of 
short continuance. His own friends became 
frightened at his cruelty, and formed a party 
against him; being condemned on a charge 
of tyranny and cruelty, he atoned for his 
crimes upon the scaffold, in 1794. In 1795, the 
Convention adopted a new Constitution, in- 
trusting the executive authority to a Directory, 
consisting of five meuibers. 

15. Previously to the death of Eobespierre, I 
the Convention had carried its proceedings toi 
the most extravagant excess. The Christian ! 

Questions. — 13. What were the names of the twoj 
parties ? Which prevailed ? Who was among the rest ? | 
14. What was the dominion of Robespierre styled? 
What is said of his acts ? Of his career ? What was his 
fate ? What followed ? 



PRANCE. 329 

religion was suppressed, and a decree passed, 
I declaring that the only deity to be worshipped 
' hereafter in France, should be Eeason. A re- 
publican calendar was formed. Having re- 
nounced God and his saints, they substituted 
ifor every saint's name on the calendar the 
* name of some vegetable. As it was customary 
•with the peoj^le, when a child was born, to 
I give it the name of the patron saint of that 
'day, the poor mothers were much distressed 
•when their republican husbands, taking down 
*the almanac, would read out, "Carrot," " Tur- 
■nip," or " Celery," as a lit name for their new- 
born babe. The Sunday was abolished, and in 
!its place every tenth day was appointed as a 
'day of rest. The churches were despoiled of 
their ornaments and treasures, and the bells 
cast into cannon. 

i 16. The sovereigns of Europe, alarmed at 
•the fearful progress of the French Eevolution, 
(entered into a coalition against France; but 
their combined forces, under the command of 
ithe Duke of Brunswick, were driven beyond 
the Ehiue, and that river was made the east- 
ern boundary of France. 

17. In 1796, Napoleon Bonaparte, then in 

Questions, — 15. What took place ? What of their 
calendar ? What is said of Sundays ? Of the churches ? 
16. What is said of the sovereigns of Europe ? What 
svas the result ? 17. In 1796, what took place ? 
28* 



330 FRANCE. 

the 27th year of his age, was 'ntrusted with 
the command of the French army. This ex- 
traordinary man was a native of the island 
of Corsica, and was born in the year 1769. 
At an early age, he gave indications of great 
military talents; and, while at school, when 
the season would permit it, his favorite amuse- 
ment was that of making fortifications of snow 
and fighting battles with snowballs. 

18. Being now placed at the head of the 
French forces, Bonaparte soon astonished all 
Europe by the brilliancy of his victories. In 
1797 and the following year, he became mas- 
ter of Northern Italy, invaded Egypt, de- 
feated the Egyptians in the famous battle of 
the Pyramids, and took possession of Cairo 
and all the Delta. After this he returned to 
France, abolished the Directory, and caused 
himself to be elected First Consul. He then 
placed himself at the head of the French 
army, crossed the Alps, and defeated the Aus- 
trians in the celebrated battle of Marengo, 
in 1800. By the treaty of Amiens, in 1802, 
Europe, for the first time since the com-! 

Questions. — 17. What is said of this man? At an| 
early age? While at school? 18. Being now placed, | 
&c., what is said of Bonaparte? After this, what didj 
he do ? Where did he defeat the Austrians ? By thel 
treaty of Amiens, what took place ? ! 



TRANCE. 831 

mencement of the Revolution, enjoyed the 
blessings of peace. 

19. During the suspension of hostilities, Bo- 
naparte employed himself in works of public 
utility. He re-established religious worship 
in France, published a new code of laws, of- 
fered great encouragement to commerce, and 
embellished Paris by erecting several splen- 
did buildings and monuments. In 1802, he 
caused himself to be created Consul for life ; 
and in 1804, he assumed the imperial dignity, 
and was crowned Emperor of the French. 

20. The peace of Amiens was of short dura- 
tion. In 1805, another coaHtion, between Eng- 
land, Austria, Russia, Sweden, and Prussia, 
was entered into against France. The em- 
peror immediately took the field against the 
combined forces of the allied powers, and cap- 
tured the Austrian army of thirty-three thou- 
sand men, at XJlm; and, in the memorable bat- 
tle of Austerlitz, defeated the united forces 
of Austria and Russia. 

21. Elated by his astonishing success, the 
emperor set no bounds to his ambition. In 
1806 he deposed the king of Naples, and 

Questions. — 19. What did he re-establish ? What 
did he publish, &c. ? In 1802, what did he do? And 
in 1804? 20. In 1805, what took place? What is said 
of the emperor ? Whom did he capture ? Whom did he 
defeat ? 21. Whom did he depose, &c. ? 



832 FRANCE. 

placed his own brother, Joseph Bonaparte, 
upon the Neapolitan throne. In the same 
year he made his brother Louis king of Hol- 
land, and in the following year erected Wur- 
temburg into a kingdom for his brother Je- 
rome. In 1808 he transferred Joseph to the 
throne of Spain. He obliged Francis the 
Second to resign his title of Emperor of Ger- 
many, and take that of Emperor of Austria; 
he also raised the electors of Bavaria and 
Saxony to the rank of kings. 

22. In 1812, he invaded Eussia at the head 
of four hundred thousand infantry and sixty 
thousand cavalry, and with one thousand two 
hundred pieces of artillery. His progress was 
interrupted by the Eussians, whom he defeated 
at Smolensk, and again at the desperate battle 
of Borodino, a few miles from Moscow, at 
which nearly thirty thousand fell on each side. 
When he arrived at Moscow, the capital of 
Eussia, he found the city abandoned by its in- 
habitants. Soon after his arrived, fires broke 
out in different quarters, and the city was en- 
veloped in flames. The Eussians had pre- 
ferred to destroy their magnificent capital, 
rather than see it in possession of the in- 
vaders. Bonaparte immediately commenced 

Questions. — 21. Whom did he make kings? Francis 
Second? 22. In 1812, what did he do? Where did he 
defeat the Russians? How did he find Moscow ? What 
did he immediately do ? 



FKANCE. 333 

his retreat towards France. The sufferings of 
the French army, on its return, were almost 
incredible; thirty thousand horses are said to 
have perished in a single day, and of this im- 
mense army, only thirty thousand returned to 
France. 

23. On his return, the emperor raised an- 
other army of three hundred thousand men, 
defeated the allied powers at Bautzen, repulsed 
them at Dresden, but was ultimately over- 
thrown in the tremendous battle of Leipsic, 
with a loss of forty thousand men in killed, 
wounded, and prisoners. After this battle, 
Bonaparte fled to Paris, and abdicated the 
throne of France; and after some delibera- 
tion the island of Elba was selected as the 
place of his future residence. Louis XYIII., 
the brother of the unfortunate Louis XVL, 
was then restored to the throne of his ances- 
tors, A. D. 1814. 

24. In a few months after this event, to the 
astonishment of Europe, Bonaparte returned 
from exile ; he marched through France, and 
was again proclaimed emperor, amidst the 
loudest acclamations of the people. As soon 

Questions. — 22. How many horses died ? How many 
men returned? 23. On his return what did he do? 
Where was he overthrown ? After this, what did he do ? 
Where was he sent? What followed? 24. In a few 
months what took place? 



334: FRANCE. 

as this event was made known, a formidable 
coalition was formed against him by nearly all 
the powers of Europe. The emperor once 
more placed himself at the head of his army, 
but was entirely defeated by the allies under 
Wellington and Blucher, in the memorable 
battle of "Waterloo, with a loss of upwards of 
forty thousand killed and wounded. This bat- 
tle took place on the 18th of June, 1815. 

25. After this battle, Bonaparte fled to Paris, 
and again resigned the crown ; he then sur- 
rendered himself to Captain Maitland, the 
commander of a British sloop of war, and 
asked an asylum in England. But it was 
agreed among the allied sovereigns that he 
should be sent a prisoner to the island of St. 
Helena, where he died on the 5th of May, 
1821, in the sixth year of his captivity. An 
indelible stain is stamped on the national honor 
of Great Britain by this breach of faith to- 
wards the vanquished foe, who had trusted in 
British generosity ; and the name of Hudson 
Lowe, governor of Saint Helena, has been 
consigned to infamy for his shameful treat- 
ment of the illustrious captive. The remains 
of Napoleon were brought to France, in 1846. 

Questions. — 24. What was formed against him? 
Where and by whom was he defeated ? With what loss ? 
25. What did Bonaparte do? What was agreed ? Where 
did he die? What is said of the conduct of Great 
Britain ? What occurred in 1846? 



FRANCE. 835 

26. Louis was again restored to the throne 
of France, and was succeeded in 1824, by his 
brother, under the title of Charles the Tenth. 
A revolution took place in 1830, which ended 
in the expulsion of Charles, and the election 
of his cousin the Duke of Orleans to the throne, 
who took the name of Louis Phih'p. During the 
spring of 1848, another revolution took place, 
when Louis Philip, in his turn, was expelled, 
and France declared a republic. A new con- 
stitution was formed, and Louis Bonaparte, 
the nephew of Napoleon, was elected the first 
president. 

27. In December, 1851, a plot, formed by 
the ultra or Eed-republicans, for the overthrow 
of the government, was discovered by the 
president, who caused all the leaders to be ar- 
rested in the night preceding the day fixed for 
the outbreak. Louis ]N"apoleon was elected 
president for ten years, and a change in the 
government was then proposed. The question 
of the establishment of the Empire was sub- 
mitted to popular suffrage, and the president 
became Emperor by a majority of several mil- 
lions of votes. 

28. The Empire dates from December 2d, 

Questions. — 26. By whom was Louis succeeded? 
What took place in 1830 ? And 1848 ? Who was elected 
the first president ? — 27. What followed ? What changes 
then took place? Thus, &c., what is said ? — 28. What 
is said of the Empire and the title of Napoleon ? 



836 FRANCE. 

1852, and Louis Napoleon reigns as Napoleon 
the Third. The title of Napoleon the Second 
was presumed to belong to the son of Napo- 
leon the First and Maria Louisa of Austria, 
who never reigned, and who died in 1832, at 
the age of twenty-one. Thus, by the myste- 
rious decree of Providence, the nephew of the 
captive of Saint Helena is seated on the impe- 
rial throne founded by his uncle ', and France 
is greater and more prosperous at this day, by 
peaceful means, than the first Napoleon ever 
made her through victories and conquests. 

29. In 1854, France united with England in 
the war against Russia, for the defence of the 
Ottoman empire. The capture of Sebastopol, 
which was mainly accomplished by the French, 
ended the war in 1856. In 1859, the Emperor, 
as ally of Victor Emmanuel of Italy, took the 
field against Austria, and was victorious at the 
battles of Magenta and Solferino. In 1863, he 
invaded Mexico, in order to enforce the pay- 
ment of claims due the French, and retired, 
leaving there the short-lived government of 
the Emperor Maximilian. In 1869, changes in 
the law of the French empire are being made, 
with the consent of the Emperor, which will 
remove some of its arbitrary features. 

Questions.— 29. What occurred in 1854? In 1859 ?j 
In 1863? What is said of the year 1869 ? j 



IRELAND* 



CHAPTEE XLYIII. 

The Early Inhabitants — The Introduction 
OF Christianity by St. Patrick. 

' 1. The early inhabitants of this country, 
iccording to the best authorities, were of 
[Celtic origin, and arrived in Ireland from the 
livestern coast of Spain. The early religion 
I )f the people was similar to that of nearly all 
I'jhe eastern nations of Europe. They adored 
:he sun under the name of Baal, and the moon 
ander the title of Ee ; fire was also sacred 
[imong them. 

2. The country was divided into a number 
3f small kingdoms, each governed by its own 
king, and the whole subordinate to a supreme 
monarch. One of the most illustrious of the 
Irish monarchs was Cormac Ulfadah, who 
reigned about the middle of the third century. 
He was a man of great learning, and is said 

Questions. — 1. What is said of the early inhabitants ? 
The religion? What did they adore? 2. What is said 
of the country ? Of Cormac Ulfadah ? 

29 337 



S38 IRELAND. 

to have founded three academies at Tara, th 
ancient residence of the monarchsof Irelancj 
In the first, the science of war was taught 
in the second, history; and in the third, la\^ 
Towards the close of his reign, Cormac alj 
dicated the throne in favor of his son, and vc, 
tired to an humble cottage, where he devote* 
himself to literary pursuits. I 

3. Nothing of any particular importancj 
occurred in the history of Ireland until th 
introduction of Christianity by the illustriou 
apostle, St. Patrick. This holy man, accordi 
ing to the best authorities, was born in Gaujj 
of respectable parentage, about the year 38'JJ; 
In his youth he was taken captive to Ireland! 
and sold to a man, named Milcho, by whom hi 
was employed in attending flocks. After sii 
years of captivity, he escaped to his nativ<; 
country, and after spending some time wit| 
his parents, he repaired to the monastery oil 
St. Martin, at Tours, where, it is believed, h| 
was raised to the ecclesiastical state. 

4. Shortly after this period, Pope CelestinI 
commissioned St. Patrick to convert the peoj 
pie of Ireland to Christianity. The Saint imii 

Questions. — 2. What academies did Cormac form 
3. By whom was Christianity introduced? When anc 
where was he born? What happened in his youth' 
What is said of him ? 4. What did Pope Celestine do | 



IRELAND. 339 

Iiediately set out for the scene of his labors, 
,nd arrived in Ireland during the year 432. 
,?he most abundant success attended his la- 
bors j he travelled from province to province, 
!,nd by his eloquence, converted to Christianity 
,11 who heard him. He was permitted to ex- 
Aain the sacred truths of Christianity before 
jorgerius, the chief monarch of the country, 
i,nd converted many members of the royal 
family. 

J 5. In a few years, he built a number of 
(ihurches, and founded several monasteries, 
designed for the education of persons for the 
oriesthood. He is said to have banished all 
he vipers and noxious animals from the island; 
,,vhether this be true or not, it is certain that 
i,hey will not live in the country at the pres- 
7)nt time. The Saint died on the seventeenth 
,)f March, in the year 465, and in the seventy- 
jighth year of his age. 

1 6. During the seventh and eighth centuries, 
[reland was famed for her literary institutions ; 
rier schools were crowded by thousands from 
ill parts of Europe, and at the same time, 
Irish scholars were invited to impart instruc- 

QuESTiONS. — 4. What is said of the Saint? When 
lid he arrive in Ireland? What was he permitted? 
5. What did he do? What is he said to have done? 
When did he die? 6. During the seventh and eighth 
centuries, what is said of Ireland? 



S40 IRELAND. 

tion in foreign countries. Towards the close 
of the eighth century, Ireland was invaded] 
by the Danes, who held possession of certain 
parts of the country for more than two hun^ 
dred years, during which period an almost^ 
continual war was carried on between the na^ 
lives and the invaders. ; 

7. In the year 1014, the Danes collectedj 
their forces near Dublin, with the intention! 
of subduing the whole country. It happened! 
at this time that the chief throne of Ireland' 
was occupied by the famous Brian Boru. Thisj 
illustrious monarch, learning the intention of j 
the Danes, resolved to intercept their advance ;| 
and placing himself at the head of his armyj 
he marched forward to meet them where they! 
were encamped on the plains of Clontarf A| 
fierce and obstinate battle followed, which| 
lasted from sunrise until the close of the even-! 
ing, but terminated in the defeat of the Danes,! 
who were driven from the field with great! 
slaughter. 

8. Brian, who is said to have triumphed in 
fifty battles, was destined to fall in the mo- 
ment of victory, by the hand of an assassin. 
In the midst of the confusion and carna^re 



Questions.— 6. When was Ireland visited by the Danes ? 
7. In 1014, what took place? Who occupied the chief 
throne? What did this monarch resolve? What fol- 
lowed? 8. What is said of Brian? 



IRELAN"D. 341 

ithat followed the retreat of the Danes, a Dan- 
jish soldier took refuge in a small wood not far 
ifrom Brian's tent. At that moment, the Irish 
[monarch was prostrate upon his knees, with 
his hands uplifted to heaven ; the soldier, see- 
ing him thus engaged, and almost unattended, 
rushed into the tent, and plunged a dagger 
iinto his breast. The Danes never recovered 
from the overthrow at Clontarf ; they grad- 
jually diminished in numbers, and finally dis- 
jappeared from the country, 
i 9. During the invasion of the Danes, and 
ithe series of wars that followed, Irish litera- 
ture naturally declined. But as the invaders 
retired, the schools and monasteries of Ireland, 
^ which had been laid in ruins, again rose from 
i their ashes; and during the eleventh century, 
lithe fame of her literary institutions spread 
■abroad, and her shores were visited by stu- 
; dents from all parts of Europe. 

Questions. —8. Relate the circumstances of his death. 

What is said of the Danes ? 9. During the invasion, 

f &c., what declined ? But as they retired, what is said ? 



29* 



S42 IRELAND. i 

CHAPTER XLIX. I 

Ireland Invaded by Henry II., of England. 

1. As early as the year 1155, the English 
monarch conceived the design of invading Ire- ; 
land; but not having any legal right to the 
country, nor any other grounds to justify an' 
invasion of it, he was compelled to abandon ' 
the design for the present. Some years after | 
this, an event took place which favored his 
ambitious views. Dermot MacMurchad, king | 
of Leinster, being expelled from Ireland, on '[ 
account of his. crimes and cruelty, fled to Eng- I 
land, and applied to Henry for aid, promising, I 
if restored to his kingdom, to hold it as a vas- ; 
sal to the English crown. ! 

2. Dermot having received from Henry per- I 
mission to raise forces in England, soon sue- I 
ceeded in gaining the assistance of several 1 
persons of distinguished rank. Among these, 
the Earl of Pembroke, surnamed Strongbow, 
and two brothers, Maurice Fitz-Gerald and 
Eobert Fitz-Stephen, were the most promi- 
nent. Being thus successful, Dermot returned 
to Ireland, and was shortly afterwards fol-j 

Questions.— 1. What is said of the English mon-' 
arch ? What is said of Dermot, &c. ? 2. What did Dermot 
do ? Who were among these ? What followed ? 



IRELAISTD. S4S 

lowed by a strong force of English troops, 
under the command of Eobert Fitz-Stephen, 
A. D. 1169. 

3. Dermot immediately joined the invaders, 
and together they made an attack upon Wex- 
ford, which finally yielded to their arms. 
Previous to the surrender of the city, about 
seventy of the principal inhabitants were 
taken prisoners by the assailants. Every ef- 
' fort was made by their fellow-citizens to ob- 
tain their release, but without effect; the 
I invaders had determined on their death. The 
■ unfortunate prisoners were hurried off to the 
high rocks near the city, where their limbs 
were broken, and they were then cast into the 
sea. 

• 4. Unfortunately, Ireland at this period was 
greatly distracted by civil contentions, a cir- 
cumstance which aided the designs of the 
English monarch, and led to the easy triumph 
of his arms. In the year 1171, Henry himself 
landed in Ireland, at the head of a considera- 
ble army. His first care seems to have been 
to impress upon the minds of the people that 
he had come rather to protect them against 
the oppression of others, than to acquire any 

Questions. — 3. What did Dermot do ? Who fell into' 
their hands? Relate the manner of their death. 
4. What is said of Ireland? In 1171? What was his 
first care ? 



844: IRELAND. 

I 

advantages for himself. This refined policy j 
will account for the little resistance he met j 
with during his progress through the country. | 

5. He received the submission of most of | 
the chieftains, and finally that of Koderic | 
O'Connor, the last chief monarch of Ireland. | 
In 1175, a treaty was concluded between Henry , 
and Eoderic, according to which all the sue- | 
ceeding kings of Ireland should hold their do- ! 
minions as tenants or vassals of the English 
crown. j 

6. On the death of Eoderic, Henry trans- j 
ferred the government of Ireland to his son, | 
John, then a youth in his twelfth year; but i 
the insolent behavior of the j^oung prince soon | 
roused the indignation of the Irish chieftains: \ 
they flew to arms, and in a short time had ; 
nearly expelled the English from the country. | 
Henry, alarmed at the danger which threat-! 
ened his power in Ireland, recalled the prince, ! 
and placed the whole power of the govern- 1 
ment in the hands of De Courcy. Such is a 
brief outline of the establishment of the domin- 
ion of Great Britain over Ireland : a dominion 
which rests upon treachery and injustice; and 
the career of which has been written in char- 



QuESTioNS. — 5. What did he receive, &c. ? In 1175, 
what took place ? 6. On the death of Roderic, what did 
Henry do ? What is said of the young prince ? What 
did Henry do ? What is observed ? 



IRELAND. 345 

icters of blood, from the days of Henry II. to 
ihose of the latest English monarchs. 

7. After the execution of the "unfortunate 
I^harles the First of England, the loyalty of 
ohe Irish manifested itself in favor of his son, 
CJharles the Second. Oliver Cromwell was 
'?ent over to Ireland by the parliament, to re- 
duce the country to subjection. After a pro- 
tracted siege, he took the city of Drogheda, 
[ind ordered the garrison to be put to the 
5word. Cromwell next took the city of Wex- 
■ford, where all the horrors of Drogheda were 
renewed, the conqueror strictly forbidding his 
soldiers to give quarter. 

L 8. At the conclusion of the war, the greater 
part of the Irish nobility and' gentry had 
i30ught an asylum in foreign lands ; their es- 
.tates were forfeited, and the English parlia- 
ment prepared an ordinance for settling the 
deserted districts of Ireland, which declares 
•in its first clause that it was the intention of 
ethe English parliament "to extirpate the 
Irish nation." By this ordinance, which went 
:into eifect in 1653, a great portion of Ireland 



! Questions.— 7. After the execution, &c., what is said? 
■What is said of Cromwell ? What cities did he take, and 
what followed? 8. What took place at the conclusion 
of the war ? 



846 IRELAND. 

was distributed among the followers of Crom- 
well and the supporters of the parliament. 

9. Nothing of any particular interest oc- 
curred in the history of Ireland, from this 
time until the dethronement of James the 
Second. James, after being expelled from 
England, retired to France; but on learning 
that the Irish were faithful to his cause, he 
repaired to Ireland, and proceeding to Dublin, 
was received amidst the joyous acclamations 
of the people. AVilliam, who had succeeded 
to the English throne, hastened to oppose him. 

10. On the memorable first of July, in the 
year 1690, the two monarchs met on the banks 
of the Eiver Boyne. A fierce and bloody con- 
flict ensued, which was sustained for some 
time with determined bravery on both sides. 
William frequently mingled in the thickest of 
the fight, while James stood upon a distant 
hill, that he might in safety view the contest. 
When he beheld the destructive charge of the 
Irish dragoons, we are told that he exclaimed : 
'' Spare, oh, spare my English subjects." Owing 
to the weakness and cowardice of James, the 
scale of victory turned in favor of William. 

Questions. — 8. By this order what took place? 
9. What is said of James? Of William? 10. What 
took place in 1690? What ensued? What is said of 
William ? Of James ? What did he exclaim ? In whose 
favor did the victory turn ? 



( lEELAND. 847 

11. Before the fate of the battle was known, 
James fled to Dublin, and embarked for 
France, After his departure, the Irish leaders 
for some time nobly sustained the cause of - 
their country. At length, James, having ob- 
tained a quantity of military stores, and a 
small force, from the king of France, sent 
them over to Ireland, under the command of 
Saint Kuth, an experienced French general. 
Saint Kuth, after taking command of the 
Irish forces, took up a position near the ruins 
of the castle of Aughrim; here he was met 
by the English army, under the command of 
General Ginkle. 

12. An obstinate battle ensued ; the Irish 
fouo:ht with heroic bravery, and the English 
wei^e repulsed at every charge ; a few moments 
more must have sealed their destruction. At 
this critical juncture, Saint Kuth fell by a 
cannon-ball discharged from the enemy's bat- 
tery. This unfortunate event changed the 
fortune of the day, and the scale of victory 
turned in favor of the English. 

13. After the battle of Aughrim, the Irish 
forces, under the brave and patriotic Sarsfield, 



Questions. -11. What did James do? The Irish 
leaders? At length what did James do? What is said 
of Saint Ruth? 12. What ensued? What was the fate 
of Saint Ruth ? What followed ? 



848 IRELAND. 

retired to the city of Limerick, which was be- 
sieged by the English. The war, however, 
was soon terminated by a treaty, known by 
the name of the treaty of Limerick. By 
this treaty, the Eoman Catholics were to en- 
joy the free exercise of their religion, and 
were required to take no oath, except that. of 
allegiance. Two days after the treaty was 
signed, a French fleet appeared off the coast, 
with re-enforcements, and a large supply of 
military stores. The assistance, however, ar- 
rived too late ; the honor of the nation was 
pledged by the treaty of Limerick, and the 
fleet was dismissed. * 



CHAPTEE L. 

The Insurrection of 1798. 

1. For centuries the Irish people had 
groaned under the weight of oppression and 
tyranny which a despotic government exer- 
cised over them. Often was the father's heart 

Questions. — 13. Where did the Irish forces retire ? 
How was the war terminated? What is said of the 
treaty of Limerick? What happened two days after? 
— 1. What is said of the Irish people ? 



IRELAND 849 

ready to break within his bosom, as he looked 
upon the son of his aifection, and reflected on 
the wretchedness to which that son was born ; 
often had the tear of sorrow dimmed the 
mother's eye, as she looked abroad upon the 
misery that rested on her native land, and 
taught her child for the first time to lisp the 
name of Ireland. 

2 When ready to sink under the weight ot 
these accumulated evils, they were cheered 
with the delusive hope that the future would 
unfold a brio;hter prospect, and open to their 
view a happier era ; but, alas! each succeeding 
year only added a new link to the chain of 
their misery, and rendered more bitter the 
cup of their sorrow. However, they still 
hoped to be able to obtain a redress of their 
P-rievances, by the power of reason and moral 
influence. For this purpose, an association, 
styled the United Irishmen, was formed m 
Belfast during the year 1791. 

3 The leading principle of this association 
seems to have been a pure and disinterested 
love of liberty. It was formed for the pur- 
pose, as they themselves declared, of forward- 

""Z^^^^^^^l. .What of the father? Of the mother? 
2 How were they cheered, &c. ? What did they st.ll 
hope' What association was formed? 3. What were 
the leading objects of this association? 



850 IRELAND. 

ing a brotherhood of affection, a communion 
of rights, and a union of power among Irish- 
men of every religious denomination, thus to 
obtain a complete reform in the legislature, 
founded on principles of civil, political, and re- 
ligious liberty. 

4. Another association grew into existence 
about this time, called the Orange Association. 
The object of this association was to support 
the measures of Government, and to oppose 
reform. The first Orange Lodge was formed 
on the 21st of September, 1795, in the village 
of Youghall. The members pledged themselves 
by the most solemn oath to support and de- 
fend the king and his heirs, so long as he or 
they shall support the Protestant ascendency. 
6. Finding their condition hopeless, and 
despairing of ever being able to obtain relief 
of the British Government by a peaceable 
course, the United Irishmen resolved to appeal 
to arms, and to the more forcible arguments 
of the sword. They secretly applied to France 
for aid; but, before any effectual assistance 
could arrive, and before their plans could be 
organized, the people were driven into hostil- 
ities by the cruelty of the Government. Mar- 

QuESTiONS. — 4. What other association was formed? 
What was the object of it? 5. What did the United 
Irishmen resolve ? 



IRELAND. 351 

tial law was proclai-med in several provinces ; 
a savage soldiery emulated each other in acts 
of barbarity ; the torture of whipping, half- 
hanging, and the pitch-cap, were put into act- 
ive operation, and the most liberal rewards 
were held out to informers. 

6. Early in the spring of 1798, the insurrec- 
tion broke out in the counties of Kildare and 
Carlow. The first important battle took place 
at Carlow. The Irish, who were armed with 
clumsy pikes and a few muskets, fought with 
desperation ; but they were finally defeated, 
with a loss of four hundred slain, and two 
hundred taken prisoners ; the unfortunate 
prisoners were all executed under martial law. 
The Irish patriots defeated the British at 
Oulart Hill, and took the city of Waterford; 
but they lost the desperate battle of Ballyna- 
hinch. After this, they intrenched themselves 
on Yinegar Hill, where they were finally de- 
feated by the royal army, on the 22d of June. 
This defeat terminated the eventful struggle 
of Ireland for her national rights and the re- 
dress of her grievances. 

7. Shortly after this event, the question of 

Questions. —5. What was proclaimed? What were 
put in operation? 6. In 1798, what took place? How 
were the Irish armed ? What was the fate of the pris- 
oners ? Where did they defeat the British ? Where did 
they intrench themselves ? 7. What was the object of 
the Union ? 



852 IRELAND. [ 

i 
the Union began to be agitated, the object of I 
which was to destroy the National Parliament! 
of Ireland, and oblige her representatives to; 
meet in the Parliament of England. Thai 
measure, at first, was decidedly unpopular, but: 
by an unparalleled degree of bribery and cor-; 
ruption, it was carried towards the close of^ 
year 1800. On the first of January, 1801, the; 
Union standard was, for the first time, mounted! 
on the Bedford tower, in Dublin, while the; 
guns from the royal battery in the Park, anJ 
nounced to prostrate Ireland that her national; 
independence was no more. I 

8. In 1827, Catholic emancipation was ob-l 
tained, chiefly through the exertions of the! 
illustrious O'Connell. By this act, the disa-j 
bilities under which the Catholics had groaned' 
for centuries, were removed; they were per-' 
mitted to hold office, and allowed the privilege! 
of voting at elections. They are, however,! 
still excluded from the throne, and from the! 
office of Lord Lieutenant, and Lord Chancel-| 
lor of Ireland, and that of Lord Chancellor j 
of England. j 

9. Ireland, though crushed to the earth by! 
the iron despotism of England, has been fruit- i 

Questions. —7. What is said of the measure? In 
1801, what took place? 8. In 1827? What was the 
effect of this? From what are they still excluded?! 
9. What is said of Ireland ? i 



IRELAND. 853 

'ful in men of genius, and has given to the 
world some of the greatest generals, states- 
"men, orators, and poets of modern times. The 
eloquence of the patriotic Daniel O'Connell 
shook the very throne of England, and ob- 
tained for Ireland what her armies could not 
'achieve. The name of this great man is 
p identified with his country's history. At an 
J early age he engaged in her cause, and for 
'J upwards of forty years he labored in her ser- 
\' vice ! The last few years of his public career 
f were spent in endeavoring to obtain a repeal 
of the legislative union between Great Britain 
•and Ireland, and thus to restore to Ireland her 
'national parliament. His health at length 
beg-an to decline, and he was advised to travel 
on the continent. He never returned to his 
native land, but died at Genoa, in Italy, in 
5 the seventy-eighth year of his age. 
V 10. Wellington, the hero of Waterloo, and 
^ perhaps the greatest general of Europe, was 
an Irishman, though no friend to the land of 
1 his nativity. Ireland's sons, in foreign lands, 
have frequently acquired imperishable fame. 
^ During our own Eevolutionary contest, our 
armies were led to battle and victory by the 

f Questions. — 9. What of the eloquence of O'Connell? 
• Of his name ? How long did he labor in her service, &c. ? 
- What did he endeavor to obtain? When did he die? 
10. What is said of Wellington? 
30* 



354 ITALY. 

brave and patriotic General Montgomery, who 
finally fell in the noble effort to achieve 
American liberty. More recently, the names 
of Generals Shields, Eeily, and others, have 
reflected honor upon American arms, and have 
acquired renown under the banner of their 
adopted land. 



ITALY. 



CHAPTER LI. 

1. We must go with our young readers to 
Italy, the land of the Caesars, and standing 
amidst its magnificent and classic ruins, we 
will view its former greatness, and its present 
beauty. At an early period, Romulus laid the 
foundation of Rome, at present a magnificent 
city, and ruled over it for forty years. After 
his death, the monarchy continued for upwards 
of two hundred years; but at length the regal 
government was abolished and a republic es- 
tablished. After the republic had continued 
for several centuries, it was overthrown by 

Questions. — 10. What is said of Ireland's sons in 
foreign lands? — 1. What did Romulus do? What hap- 
pened ? What continued ? By whom was the republio 
overthrown ? 



ITALY. 



355 



Julius Caesar, who seized upon the govern- 
ment, and the country became an empire. 

2. During the reign of Augustus, the first 
who assumed the title of emperor, the Eo- 
man empire included within its limits almost 
the entire known world. It had carried its 
conquests over a great part of Asia, a portion 
of Africa, and nearly all of Europe. Germany 
was subdued, Spain was conquered, and even 
Britain had yielded to its arms. Shortly after 
the promulgation of Christianity, even before 
the death of the Apostles, the light of the gos- 
pel spread over the empire. Saint Peter es- 
tablished his see at Home, the capital of the 
empire; and St. Paul carried the knowledge 
Df Christ within the very palace of theCsesars. 
3. Many of the Eoman emperors were 
wicked and cruel, and raised violent persecu- 
tions- against the Christians. During the first 
persecution under the tyrant Nero, Saint 
Peter and Saint Paul, the two illustrious 
Apostles, suffered death. Saint Peter was 
crucified with his head downwards, but Saint 
Paul, being a Eoman citizen, had the honor 
of dying by the sword. During the reign of 

Questions.— 2. During the reign of Augustus, what 
is said ? What happened shortly after the promulgation 
of 'Christianity? 3. What is said of the Roman em- 
perors? Of St. Peter and St. Paul? In the reign of 
Constantine, what took place ? 



356 ITALY. 

Constantine the Great, an end was put to the 
persecution of the Christians, and Christianity 
became the religion of the Eoman empire, A. 
D. 312. 

4. Constantine built the city of Constanti- 
nople, which he called after his own name, 
and made it the capital of the Eoman empire. 
After his death in 337, the empire was generally 
governed by two emperors, the one residing 
at Constantinople, and the other at Eome. 
In 395, the former city became the seat of the 
Eastern or Greek empire, which endured for 
1,100 years longer, while the Western empire, 
with Eome for its capital, rapidly declined in 
power and importance. A race of people from 
the north of Germany, called the Goths, 
emerging from their forests, began to make 
inroads upon the fertile plains of Italy, and 
under Alaric, their king^ they carried their 
devastations to the capital itself, A. D. 410. 

5. Eome, which for ages had been the 
mistress of the world, and had enriched 
herself with the spoils of nations, was now 
besieged, and finally taken by a people who 
had often trembled at the terror of her name. 
In 476, another barbarous race, called the He- 
ruli, overran Italy, conquered the country, and 

Questions. — 4. What did Constantine do ? What oc- i 
curred in 337? In 395? What did a race from the north | 
do ? 5. What is said of the city ? In 476, what took place ? [ 



ITALY. 357 

.compelled Eomiilus Augustus, the last of the 
^Koman emperors, to resign his crown, while 
Odoacer, their leader, assumed the title of the 
King of Italy. Thus terminated the Eoman 
Empire of the West. The city of Eome, and 
a portion of Italy, were wrested from the 
Goths in 552, during the reign of Justinian, Era- 
^peror of the East. Italy continued for two 
hundred years to be governed by persons ap- 
pointed by the Eastern emperors. 

6. About the middle of the eighth century, 
l^the Lombards extended their conquests over 

a great part of Italy, and carried their rav- 
I ages to the very walls of Rome. In their dis- 
I tress, the Roman people applied for assistance 
I' to the Emperor of Constantinople, in whose 
!|name the government of Rome was still ex- 
' ercised. The Emperor, however, neglected to 
jlsend them aid, and they were compelled to 
I apply for assistance to Pepin, the king of 
i, France. Pepin immediately responded to 

their call, and having defeated and expelled 
I the Lombards, he bestowed his conquered ter- 
I ritories in Italy on Pope Stephen and his suc- 
! cessors in the pontifical chair. It was in this 

manner the Pope was raised to the dignity of 

Questions. — 5. By whom was Italy governed? 
6. About the middle of the eighth century, what took 
place ? What did the people do ? Where were they com- 
pelled to apply for assistance? What did Pepin do? 



358 ITALY. 

a; temporal prince. The territory which he 
governs, is generally called the Papal States. 

7. The Pope is not only a temporal prince, 
but also the head of the Catholic Church. 
The city of Eome has been, with some slight 
interruptions, the residence of the Popes from 
the days of St. Peter to the present time. 
Catholics throughout the world look to Eome 
as the common centre of unity, and acknowl- 
edge the Sovereign Pontiff as their common 
father, to whom they owe implicit obedience 
in all matters of religion. It is on this ac- 
coTint, that they are frequently called Eoman 
Catholics, to denote that they hold commu- 
nion with the bishop of Eome. Catholics, 
however, do not hold the doctrine that the 
Pope has any authority over them in temporal 
affairs. 

8. During the middle ages, the Sovereign 
Pontiff was frequently applied to, as the head 
of Christendom, to settle disputes between 
contending princes, and the laws and usages 
of that period gave him even the right of ab- 
solving subjects frohi the allegiance due to their 
rulers. His decisions were generally respected 
by the ruling powers. The exercise by the 

Questions. — 7. What is said of the Pope ? The city 
of Rome? What do Catholics do? What do they not 
hold? 8. What is said of the Popes during the middle 
ages ? What power had they ? What is said of it ? 



ITALY. 359 

Pope of this authority, strange as its possession 
must 'seem to us at this day, proved a means 
of protecting oppressed peoples and of bring- 
ing lawless princes to a sense of duty. 

9. During the pontificate of Gregory the 
Seventh, Henry the Fourth, of Germany, made 
many encroachments upon the rights of the 
Church, and carried on a shameful traffic in 
ecclesiastical dignities, bestowing them on 
those who offered him the largest sums of 
money. Gregory, at length, in 1076, in compli- 
ance with the repeated request of his oppressed 
subjects, excommunicated the monarch, and 
at the same time absolved the Germans from 
their oath of allegiance to him. At the news 
of this event, Henry was alarmed, and hast- 
lened towards Italy to seek a reconciliation 
with the Pontiff. The emperor presented him- 
self at the gates of the castle, and with every 
compression of grief, acknowledged his guilt, and 
manifested a willingness to make all the satis- 
faction in his power. 

10. Gregory, who had frequently experienced 
the insincerity of Henry, kept him in suspense 
for three days; at length he gave him an au- 
dience, and absolved him on certain conditions. 
The repentance of Henry was of short dura- 

QuESTiONS. — 9. During the pontificate of Gregory the 
Seventh, what took place? What did he at length do? 
What did Henry do ? 10. What is said of Gregory ? Of 
Henry? 



860 ITALY. 

tion. He returned to Grermany, and having 
raised a powerful army, he entered Italy, and 
taking the city of Eome, he caused the excom- 
municated bishop of Eavenna to be declared 
Pope, under the title of Clement the Third. 
In the mean time, Gregory retired to the cas- 
tle of St. Angelo, where he remained until the 
arrival of Eobert Guiscard, the leader of the 
Normans, who compelled Henry to retire. 
During the unsettled state of affairs that fol- 
lowed, Gregory, the venerable Pontiff, removed 
to Salerno, where he shortly afterwards died. 
A few moments before he expired, the holy 
man made use of these words: "7 have loved 
truths and hated iniquity ; therefore I die in a 
strange land.'' A. D. 1085. 

11. The subsequent history of Italy presents 
few events of importance, until the French 
Eevolution. The French overran the ecclesi- 
astical states, took the city of Eome, and 
dragged the venerable Pontiff, Pius the Sixth, 
into France, where he died in 1799. During 
the year 1809, Napoleon, the emperor of ! 
France, requested Pope Pius the Seventh to I 
close his harbors against British commerce. 
To this the Pontiff returned a positive refusal, \ 
saying, that "being the father of all Christian ' 

Questions. — 10. Where did Gregory retire? When I 
and where did he die? What were his last words? j 
11. What did the French do? In 1809, what did Na- j 
poleon request? What did the Pontiff reply ? I 



ITALY. 361 

(lations, he could not, consistently with that 
3haracter, become the enemy of any." 
, 12. This magnanimous reply so enraged the 
jmperor, that he immediately ordered the 
dominions of the Pope to be annexed to the 
empire of France. The Pontiff was sent into 
,3xile, and remained in captivity until after 
}he first dethronement of Napoleon, when he 
igain returned to Eome, A. D. 1814. 
1 13. The great and good Pius IX. was elected 
yO the pontifical throne in 1846. His first act 
,w'as to grant his subjects all the civil liberties 
':hat would conduce to their happiness; but his 
generosity was rewarded by ingratitude, and 
luring the revolutionary troubles that con- 
vulsed Europe in 1848, Kome was taken pos- 
session of by the revolutionists. The venerable 
Pontiff was compelled to seek refuge at Gaeta, 
in the kingdom of Naples. 

14. In 1850, after an exile of about a year 
and a half, he was reinstated with the aid of 
'the French troops of Napoleon III. Thus, by 
'a strange dispensation of Providence, the heir 
of Napoleon, the despoiler of the Papal do- 
minions, became for a time the protector of 
the Pope. Nevertheless, in 1860, Victor Em- 



QuESTiONS. — 12. What is said of this reply? What 
became of the Pontiff? 13. What happened in 1816? 
In 1848 ? What became of Pius IX. ? 11. What occurred 
in 1850 ? In 1860 ? In 1861 ? 
31 



362- SPAIN. I 

i 
mannel, King of Sardinia, annexed to hi^ 
dominions a large portion of the Papal States] 
together with the possessions of the othei! 
princes of Italy. In 1861, he assumed th^ 
title of King of Italy. ! 

15. A French garrison remained in Eom^ 
until the year 1866, when it was withdrawn] 
the King of Italy having pledged himself td 
protect Rome. In 1867, however, the revo-j 
lutionist, Garibaldi, made another attempt td 
take that city, and the French troops had td 
be sent back to protect the Pope. The invadJ 
ers were completely defeated by the pontifical 
troops, and tranquillity was restored; but thel 
temporal power of the Pope is still threatened! 
by the political agitators the Old World. 



SPAIN. 



CHAPTER LIL 

1. Spain, or Iberia, as it was formerly styled, 
is one of the oldest countries in Europe, and 
the one, perhaps, in which there has been 
the greatest mingling of races. The Celts, 



Questions. — 15. How long did the French troops re- 
main ? What happened in 1867 ? — 1. What is the origin 
of the Spaniards ? 



SPAIN. ' 863 

[who originally peopled that countiy, were civ- 
ilized by the Phoenicians, who built the city 
Df Cadiz, 900 years B. C. Subsequently, the 
(Carthaginians took possession of Spain, and 
held it until the destruction of their power by 
ithe Eomans. 

J 2. Early in the fifth century, the Suevi and 
other barbarian tribes from the north, invaded 
Spain, and wrested that province from the 
Eomans. Soon after this conquest, the coun- 
try was subdued by the Visigoths, who found- 
[ied there a monarchy. In the eighth century, 
jthe Gothic kings were overthrown by the 
Saracens, or Moors, the followers of Mahomet. 

3. The Moors built many fine cities, and 
divided the conquered territory into several 
independent sovereignties or Caliphates; but 
they seldom enjoyed peace, for the Christians 
made continual war upon them, the Moors 
gradually losing their possessions,- until, in the 
year 1492, the fall of Granada terminated their 
empire. 

4. Spain, which had been divided into sev- 

teral sovereignties, was now united into one 

■monarchy, under Ferdinand and Isabella. 

The reign of these wise and great sove- 

!: reigns was marked by the most important 

\ Questions. — 2. What happened from the fifth century 
' to the eighth ? 3. Tell us about the Moors in Spain. 

4. What il said of Spain? What important event took 

place during this reign *? 



B64: 



SPAIN. 



event of modern times ; the discovery of Amei 
rica by Christopher Columbus. Spain thei^ 
became the leading power of Europe. id 
1520, Charles I., of Spain, was elected Emperor 
of Germany, under the name of Charles V. 
and thus his dominion was extended over Ger- 
many, the Netherlands, and a part of Italy.! 
He had, besides, immense possessions in thei 
New World. i 

6. Charles had to sustain long and bloodyj 
wars, principally with Francis I., of France,|i 
who had been his rival for the imperial crown.! 
He was eventually successful; and, at thej 
very time when peace and prosperity had beenl 
established in his vast empire, the great em-ij 
peror astonished the world by resigning his; 
throne and authority into the hands of his 
son, Philip, and retiring to the monastery of 
St. Just, where he remained in peaceful seclu- 
sion until his death. 

6. The most important event of the reign 
of Philip II., was the loss of the Low Coun- 
tries, or Netherlands, whose people revolted, 
and succeeded in gaining their independence 
after a bloody struggle. These provinces 
formed a confederation under the title of the 
Seven United Provinces of Holland, A. D. 1579. 

Questions. — 4. What happened in 1520? 5. Tell us 
about the reign of Charles V. 6. What happened under 
Philip II. ? 



SPAIN. 365 

7. The history of Spain from this period pre- 
lents few events of great importance, until the 
nvasion by the French in 1808, who drove 
Ferdinand YII. from the Spanish throne, and 
placed thereon Joseph Bonaparte, the brother 
i)f the Emperor Napoleon. The Spaniards 
[•ose in fierce opposition to the invaders of 
their soil ; and, with the assistance of the 
English, succeeded in expelling the French, 
after the long and bloody contest known as 
the Peninsular War. At the restoration of 
peace in 1814, Ferdinand resumed the crown. 

8. Spain gradually lost nearly all her Amer- 
ican possessions ) and, torn by civil dissensions, 
that nation, once so proud, declined rapidly 
into comparative insignificance. Of late years, 
she seems to have once more entered the road 
of progress, and, by judicious reforms, to be 
endeavoring to secure that internal tranquillity 
so necessary to national prosperity. 

9. Ferdinand VII. was succeeded, in 1833, 
by Isabella II. In 1868, she was deprived of 
her throne by a successful conspiracy among 
her leading generals. The government is 
'Still in their hands, no successor' to Isabella 

being as yet decided upon. 

Questions. — 7. What are the interesting events in the 
, subsequent history of Spain ? 8. What followed, and 
\ what is the present condition of that country ? 9. Who 
succeeded Ferdinand? 
31* 



PORTUGAL, 



CHAPTER LIII. 

1. Portugal has one common origin with 
Spain, of which it was formerly a part. In 
1139, the Portuguese threw off the yoke of 
Spain, and formed an independent kingdom, 
with Alphonso I. as their king. 

2. Portugal sustained many successful wars 
against the Moors and the Spaniards, and be- 
came distinguished by the progress her seamen 
made in navigation. From 1418 to the middle 
of the following century, these hardy naviga- 
tors made a large number of discoveries, not 
the least important of which were the discov- 
ery of the Cape of Good Hope, in 1481, by 
Bartholomew Diaz, and the doubling of this 
cape, in 1497, by Vasco da Grama, who accom- 
plished the first voyage to the Indies. 

3. In 1580, Portugal was seized upon by 
Philip II., who united it to the crown of 
Spain ; but the Spaniards were driven out of 
the country, in 1640, by the Duke of Braganza, 
who was crowned king under the title of 
John lY. 

4. The Portuguese preserved their Brazilian 
possessions until 1825, when Brazil was de- 
clared an independent empire, and the regent, 
Don Pedro, was proclaimed emperor. King 
John YL, of Portugal, having died, Don PC- 
Questions. — 1. What is the origin of Portugal? 

2. For what did Portugal become distinguished ? What 
discoveries did they make ? 3. What happened in 1580 
and 1640? 4. Tell us about the empire of Brazil. The 
eubsequent events in Portugal. 

866 I 



POLAND. 



367 



iro, who was his eldest son, resigned his claim 
30 the crown of Portugal in favor of his 
^ouno- daughter, Maria da Gloria ; but Don 
Mi^niel, a youncrer son of King John, usurped 
the^ throne, in 1828. The usurper M^as subse- 
quently expelled, and the crown restored to 
the lawful heir, in 1833. The present king, 
Louis I., ascended the throne in 1861. 



POLAND. 



CHAPTEE LIT. 

I 1 Although the name of Poland has been 
.stricken out from the list of nations by the 
! ruthless hand of grasping tyranny, that name 
iwill ever awake feelings of respectful sym- 
Lpathy in all who honor courage and patriotism. 
r 2 Founded in the sixth century, the king- 
'dom of Poland attained some pre-eminence 

only in the early part of the fifteenth century. 

Casimir III., surnamed the Great, who then 

occupied the throne, was a sovereign of un- 
j, common wisdom and ability. By the wise 
^ laws which he- promulgated, and the encour- 
I a2:ement he gave to commerce and industry, 

he secured \he prosperity of his kingdom 
r An enlio-htened patron of learning, he founded 
•the University of Cracow, which acquired 

great celebrity. j j +1 ^ 

3. In 1506, Sigismund I. ascended the 

" OTTESTioNT^^lTwhlah^ve you to say about Poland ? 
2. When was that kingdom founded, and what is its early 
history ? 



368 POLAND. . I 

i 
throne, and under his wise rule Poland sooiJ 
attained a high degree of prosperity, which! 
she preserved under his successors for nearly^ 
a hundred years; but continued wars with her 
neighbors, the Eussians and the Turks, grad- 
ually weakened her, and she began to decline; 

4. In 1674, John Sobieski, a man of greatj 
military talents and eminent civil virtues, wasi 
proclaimed King of Poland. He vanquished| 
the Turks, and restored peace and prosperity toj 
his kingdom. His reign, which lasted twenty-i 
two years, was an era of happiness for the Poles.i 

5. The national prosperity of Poland may! 
be said to have ended with the death of thej 
great Sobieski. The throne remained vacant! 
for twelve months, after which Frederick! 
Augustus, Elector of Saxonj^, was proclaimed; 
king. This prince declared war against! 
Charles XII., King of Sweden, but was de-| 
feated and compelled to abdicate. Subse- 
quently, however, he displaced his successor, 
Stanislaus, and regained his dominions, which, 
after his death, passed to his son, Frederick! 
Augustus II. 

6. After the reign of this prince, Poland; 
was torn by civil dissensions, excited by the' 
surrounding powers, who finally accompHshed 
their unjust projects in 1772, by dismembering 
that unfortunate country. Eussia, Prussia, 
and Austria seized upon the richest provinces 
of Poland, and compelled her to sanction her 
owji spoliation by legislative enactment. 

7. A new division was made by these three 

Questions. — 3. What happened in 1506 ? 4. In 1674 ? 
5. What took place after Sobieski's death? 6. What 
followed ? 



POLAND. 869 

ibowers in 1793, after the successful invasion 
i)l)f Poland by Eussia — a war in whicti the 
Valiant Kosciusko, who had recently taken 
touch an active part in the American Eevolu- 
rtionary war, commanded in chief the army of 
iais unfortunate countrymen. In 1798, Stan- 
tt.slaus, the last king of Poland, died, having 
p'esigned his crown three years before, and 
What remained of his former dominions was 
ojeized upon by the three powers. 
•' 8. Thus was a brave and independent na- 
tion crushed out of existence by the unjust 
•,ind wicked rapacity of its stronger neighbors. 
jEurope was convulsed by the wars arising 
lii'om the great French Kevolution, and the dis- 
memberment of Poland was permitted by the 
bther nations, who were too busily engaged 
with their own troubles. The Poles have 
made several efforts to regain their liberty, 
but the fruits of these efforts have been only 
new suffei'ings for this ill-fated people. 

9. Pussia is now busily engaged in crushing 
out every feature of Polish nationality. The 
Polish language is forbidden to be used. Many 
of their churches have been closed; they are 
not allowed to show public honors to the 
memory of some eminent men of their nation. 
Pussia is endeavoring by persecution to force 
the Polish Catholics into the Greek Church. 
Their clergy and bishops have been imprisoned 
or banished. The last Polish bishop left in 
office died of ill treatment in 1869, while on 
his way to his place of exile in Siberia. 

Questions. — 7. Was another division made? What 
followed? 8. Tell us about the subsequent fate of 
Poland? 9. Describe the recent course of Russia to- 
wards Poland. 



RUSSIA. 



CHAPTER LT. 

ich obscurity. Thes( 
ar with each other 
^ subjugated by the 
1 century, the iuvad- 
3 by John Basilowitz 

the tUleofATuo;;;! of'^iuro t.'"" *° '=^'^^' 



Russia >s involved in much obscuritv " Th 
tabe.s, continually at war with eEl 
^•ere at length partially subiugated 
Tartars, In the fifteenth centufy the , 

S^^nstl^'iYiFTh-^'^'^-^r'"^'^''' 

+ 1... .//, ^^^^^van ill., who was. the first ir 



owitz, 
to take 

tion, and of natm^. h. f neglected educa- 

one ■"'; ..t '"'''" ^"^'^'' «'''!> extraordinary 

rehired to r^lse'^hi'"'" 'T"*"" '^'"■"ties; l'^ 
civilised nato\d'l/eT" '° ""l ™"'^ °f ^ 

______J^J;^^^^^ sixteen months, 

Ql'kstions. 



^i'^nrrK;;;^;^^-^ {^ - k-w about the eaH, 
*i^^:>? What w.^^ /i ; ^'° ascended Uie throne in 



h 
] 
did 



70 



KUSSIA. 371 

he worked daily at the art of ship-building. 
On his return he created a navy. He sent his 
jroung nobles to the different courts of Europe, 
and he himself subsequently visited these 
countries, in order to study their laws and 
customs. He sustained several wars against 
the Turks, and a long, but eventually success- 
'ful contest with the warlike Charles XII., 
^King of Sweden, whom he vanquished at Pul- 
towa, in 1709. 

' 4. Peter's indomitable courage, the extra- 
■ordinary abilities he manifested in the govern- 
ment of his empire, certainly entitled him to 
the surname of Great; but if, forgetting the 
monarch, we look only for the man, we find 
Ithe vile and ferocious instincts of the brute. 
1 Intemperance, and the other vices which 
i usually accompany it, degraded the private 
' character of the czar. 

' 5. The Empress Catharine, a peasant girl 
j whom Peter had married, succeeded to the 

throne at his death, in 1725. Her reign, 
; which lasted two years, was prosperous. So 
I was the short reign of Peter II., and that of his 
1 niece, Anne, who succeeded him. After Anne's 
i death, her infant heir was deposed, and the 

crown given to Elizabeth, the daughter of 

Peter the Great, in 1741. 

6. Elizabeth seems to have inherited many 

of her father's great talents, with his vices. 

During her brilliant reign, the Kassian arms 

were constantly victorious, and Russia ceased 

Questions.— 4 Was Peter truly great? 5. What fol- 
lowed after Peter's death? 6. What have you to say ot 
Elizabeth ? 



S72 RUSSIA. I 

I 

I 

to be looked upon as a country of half-civil-j 
ized barbarians. The successor of Elizabeth' 
was her nephew, Peter III. This weak prince! 
was dethroned by his wife, Catherine of An-I 
halt, and afterwards assassinated. I 

7. Catherine was proclaimed empress, underi 
the title of Catherine II., in 1762. Possessed! 
of extraordinary abilities, she attracted tliej 
eyes of all Europe upon her court, patronized! 
the arts and sciences, encouraged manufac-i 
tures, and greatly extended her dominions by! 
important conquests. But whilst she showed! 
greatness as a sovereign, she was, in private j 
life, a vicious woman. i 

8. ^Catherine's son, Paul, who succeeded herj 
in 1796, was a tyrant. He was assassinated,! 
after a short reign, A. D. 1801. His eldest son, j 
Alexander I., succeeded to the throne. Thisi 
prince showed much wisdom and talent in| 
government, and became very popular. He* 
joined Austria against Napoleon the First,' 
and was defeated in several battles. j 

9. A peace was signed at Tilsit, but hostilities [ 
were resumed in 1812, when Napoleon invaded ' 
Eussia. The Eussians gave proof of their j 
savage heroism by burning their beautiful! 
city, Moscow, after it had been entered by the i 
victorious enemy. The grand French army, I 
which seemed invincible," could not withstand 
the rigors of a Eussian winter. These veteran 
troops perished by thousands from the exces- 
sive cold, as they retraced their steps over the 
snow-covered, barren soil. 



Questions. — 7. What of Catherine II. ? 8. Wh o were 
Catherine's successors? 9. Did peace reign after this? 



PRUSSIA. 873 

10. Alexander died in 1825, and was suc- 
ieeded by his brother, Nicholas I. This prince 
ihowed marked abilit}^ as a ruler, and during 
,he early years of his reign wagfed successful 
var against the Persians and Turks. Hi^ 
neasures towards the unfortunate Poles, how- 
ever, were tyrannical and cruel, and have left 
m indelible stain on his character. 

11. In 1853, Nicholas again declared war 
igainst the Turks, and invaded their territory, 
rhis involved Russia in a war with France 
and Engkind, the allies of Turkey, which is 
known as the Crimean war; Crimea having 
been the theatre of hostilities. This war, com- 
menced in 1854, lasted two years, and ended 
in the defeat of the Russians, and the fall of 
their famous stronghold, Sebastopol. Nicholas 
died in 1855, during this siege, and was suc- 
ceeded by his son, Alexander IL, the present 
czar. 



PRUSSIA. 



CHAPTER LYI. 

1. The Duchy of Prussia was united to tho 
Electorate of JBrandenburg, in 1525, and be- 
5ame a kingdom in 1701, under Frederick I. 



Questions. — 10. Who succeeded Alexander ? 11. What 
•lappened in 1853, and what was the consequence? 
How long did the war last, and how did it end ? A\ ho i3 
the present czar of Russia? — 1. What is the origin of 
the kingdom of Prussia? 
32 



874 



PEUSSIA. 



1?/n k' '? Frederick William I, and, in 
1740, h>s grandson, Frederick II., styled the 
Grea , succeeded to the throne. ' The latter 
signalized his accession to power by the eon 
quest of Silesia. This great w^rTor tYen t Lned" 
hi arms against Saxony, and so alarmed Eu- 
r2L7 ■ °?"?l?e3ts, that an alliance was 

Austua. The war lasted seyen years, and its 
termination, in 1763, left Frederick in the 
peaceful enjoyment of his possessions. 

J. Frederick gave much attention to the de- 
lomZT °f/g"™Iture, manufactures, and 
h^wW ' ^"^ •'"^', '^ P'-ot'^ctor of literature; 
but what principal y engrossed his care, was 
the organization of his army. He made of 

eipline hying machines to be moyed at will. 
He died in 1786 aged seyenty-four years. 

thr;nf H"'^^l""'"' "■ ™<^«eeded to the 
throne His short reign was marked by no 
important eyent, and he was succeeded by his 
son, Frederick William III., i„ 1797 Vhg 
reign of this prince was made memorable by 
the part which he took in the French war 

S'h«lfnfV^f^P°'''°" ""' Jena, and depriyed ' 
ofhalfof his dominions by the treaty of Tilsit 
h* was destined to give the last blow to the 
great conqueror: the arriyal of the Prussian 
troops under Bluchei^decided the fate of Z 

2 T?wh^f%7l- What kings succeeded to the throne' 
^. To what did Frederick turn his attention after tW' • 
seven years' war? 8. What about Frederick WiUi'a'ra 
markawif """''" '''' ""^^ "^ '^"'^'^'"^ WiUiam HI ro" 



GEEMANY AND AUSTRIA. 375 

battle of Waterloo and the downfall of Napo- 

4. The present king of Prussia is William 
I., who succeeded Frederick William lY., in 
1861. Under his rule, Prussia seems to be re- 
turning to the brilliant days of Federick the 
Great. In 1863, Prussia and Austria joined m 
a most unjust war against Denmark, and com- 
pelled that power to cede the duchies of Schles- 
wig, Holstein, and Lauenburg. 

5 The two allies then quarrelled over the 
spoils, and Prussia united with Italy to invade 
the Austrian territory. Austria was van- 
quished at the battle of Sadowa, m 1866, and 
lost not only the duchies of which she had 
hoped to rob Denmark, but also Yenetia, 
which is now part of Italy. Prussia is at pre- 
sent at the head of the North German Con- 
federation, and is one of the leadmg poweis 
of Europe. 

GERMANY AND AUSTRIA. 



CHAPTER LVII. 

1 The independent principalities into which 
GeJany wt^formeriy divided, became con 
.olfdTted when Charlemagne established the 
^ew Empire of the West. In 843, th^is^mpirc 

"""' Sd" Wh was the result of this last war? - 
TTe 1 u about Zl^^ly Wstor, of Germany. 



f 

876 GERMANY AND AUSTRIA. | 

was divided into three monarchies, France, 
Germany, and Italy; the title of Emjpire re- 
maining to German}^ 

2. The reigns of a long line of German em- 
perors who succeeded to the throne, from the 
foundation of the empire to the j^ear 1264, 
present few events of importance, save con- 
tinual quarrels with the Popes about their pos- 
sessions in Italy. In the last-mentioned year, 
Eodolph, Count of Hapsburg, ascended the 
imperial throne, and became the founder of 
the present house of Austria. 

3. One of the greatest sovereigns of this 
house, after Charles Y., was Maria Theresa, 
who claimed the throne left vacant by the 
death of her father, Charles YI., in 1740. 
There was no male heir. Charles, elector of 
Bavaria, disputed the claims of the princess. 
A contest ensued, which is known as the war 
of the Austrian Succession. In 1748, Maria 
Theresa was finally acknowledged the right- 
ful empress of Austria. She governed the em- 
pire wisely daring seventeen years. 

4. In 1806, Napoleon compelled Francis II. 
to resign the title of Emperor of Germany, and 
to absolve the German states from their al- 
legiance. He therefore became Francis I. of 
Austria. Thus the German empire, after sub- 
sisting for a thousand years, ceased to exist; 
but, on the fall of Napoleon, the German states 
formed a new union, called the Germanic Con- 



QuESTiONS. — 2. What happened from the foundation 
of the empire to the year 1264? 3. What great sover- 
eign claimed the throne in 1740? Tell us about her? 
4. What happened in 1806? What was the result? 



SWEDEN, DENMARK, AND NOKWAY. 377 

federation, over which the Emperor of Austria 
presided. 

5. Francis I. was succeeded by his son Fer- 
dinand, in 1835, who, in 1848, resigned the 
crown to his nephew, the present emperor, 
Francis Joseph. After the disastrous war of 
1866, with her former ally, Prussia, Austria was 
compelled to renounce taking any part in the 
new confederation formed under the auspices 
of Prussia, and the latter power has become 
the ruling spirit of Germany. 



SWEDEN, DENMARK, AND NORWAY. 



CHAPTEE LYIII. 

1. In the latter part of the fourteenth cen- 
tury, Sweden, Denmark, and Norway were 
united into one kingdom. During the reign 
of Christian II., king of Denmark, a revo- 
lution took place, and the Swedes, form- 
ing an independent government, elected Gus- 
tavus Vasa their king, A. D. 1527. 

2. Sweden, although a small country, played 
a conspicuous part in the wars which were so 
often waged between the powers of Europe. 
Gustavus^Adolphus, who occupied the Swedish 
throne in 1611, was one of the greatest gen - 

QUESTI0NS.-5. Who were the successors of Francis? 
What was one of the consequences of the war of 18bb . — 
1 When did Sweden separate from Norway and Den- 
mark? 2. What warlike prince occupied the throne in 

1611? 

32* 



878 SWEDEN, DENMARK, AND NORWAY. j 

! 
erals of hia times. He waged successful war 
against Denmark, Russia, and Poland. 

S, Chai'les XII., who ascended the throne in 
1697, at the age of fifteen years, also sustained 
a war against those three powers, and signally 
defeated their forces. In the celebrated battle 
of Yarna, he defeated a Eussian army of 80,000 
men, and took 30,000 prisoners. His own army 
numbered only 8,000 men. He reduced Cour- 
land and Lithuania, entered Poland, and took 
Warsaw and Cracow ; but having invaded 
Eussia in midwinter, he suffered a disastrous 
defeat at Pultowa, in 1709. The Eussians 
were commanded by Peter the Great. 

4, Charles fled into Turkey, where he sus- 
tained a battle against 20,000 Turks. Over- 
come by numbers, he had to succumb, and 
finally returned to Sweden, where he imme- 
diately set about the conquest of Norway. 
He invaded that country, and met his death 
from a cannon-ball at the siege of Fredericks- 
halle, in 1718. 

5. In 1814, Norwa}^ was taken from Den- 
mark and annexed to Sweden. The throne 
of vSweden having become vacant in 1818, by 
the death of Charles XIII., who had no chil- 
dren, the crown was given to Bernadotte, one 
of Napoleon's generals, who had been adopted 
by the king, and declared Crown Prince, in 
1809. Bernadotte had a peaceful reign, and 
was succeeded by his son, Oscar, in 1844.i 
Oscar died in 1859, and left the throne to its' 
present occupant, Charles XY. 

Questions. — 3. Tell about Charles XII. 4. Where 
did he go after his defeat ? 5. When was Norway an- 
nexed to Sweden? What took place ? 



SWEDEN, DENMARK, AND NORWAY. 879 

6. The history of Denmark, as we have 
Been, is blended with that of Sweden. The 
government was originally elective, but in the 
year 1660, it was changed by the voice of the 
people into an hereditary and absolute mon- 
archy. 

7. The wars in which Denmark engaged 
were principally against Sweden, but the 
Danes have suffered at the hands of stronger 
powers. In 1808, Copenhagen, the Danish 
capital, was bombarded by a British fleet, un- 
der the pretence that Denmark intended to join 
France. The Danish fleet, consisting of 
eighteen ships of the line and sixteen frigates, 
met with complete destruction in that unjusti- 
fiable attack. 

8. In the history of Prussia, we have seen 
how this power, aided by Austria, despoiled 
Denmark of part of her territory. This in- 
iquity was permitted by Europe, and the he- 
roic Danes had to submit to the law of might, 
although it was generally conceded that they 
were in the right. The present king of Den- 
mark is Christian IX. 



Questions. — 6. Tell us about Denmark? 7. From 
what powers did Denmark suffer? 8. What have we 
seen in the history of Prussia ? To what were the heroic 
Danes compelled to submit ? 



BELGIUM AND HOLLAND. 



CHAPTER LIX. 

1. The countries now known as Belgium i 
and Holland were united to Grermany subse- | 
quent to the reign of Charlemagne. They j 
regained their independence in the tenth cen- ! 
tury, were subjected to Burgundy in 1443, ! 
and, subsequently, again transferred to Austria. I 

2. Resigned to Philip IT., of Spain, by the ! 
Emperor Charles Y., in 1555, they revolted I 
and gained their independence. During the i 
wars of the French Republic and Empire, they ! 
were seized by, and became temporarily unit- | 
ed to France; but after the fall of Napoleon, | 
they were erected into a kingdom, under the • 
government of the Prince of Orange, who as- i 
sumed the title of King of the Netherlands, j 
The present king is William III., who ascend- ; 
ed the throne in 1849. j 

3. In 1830, the Belgians, desirous of a sepa- | 
rate national existence, asserted their indepen- 
dence, and adopted a constitutional monarchy. 
The representatives of the Five Great Powers 
arranged the boundaries of the two Ivingdoms, 
and made Leopold, of Saxe Coburg, King of 
Belgium. His son, Leopold II., succeeded 
him in 1865. 

Questions. — 1. When were these territories united 
to Germany? What subsequent changes took place? 
2. To whom were they resigned in 1555? What hap- 
pened during the French war? 3. What happened in 
1830 ? Name the Five Great Powers. Who was chosea 
King of Belgium ? Who is the present king ? 



SWITZERLAND, 



CHAPTER LX. 

1. In the year 1273, Rodolph of Hapsburg, 
jvho was possessed of considerable territories 
n Switzerland, Avas raised to the throne of 
jermany. Obliged to acknowledge the su- 
:>remacy of the empire, the Swiss Cantons, 
,:hough free in their internal government, be- 
3ame restless and discontented. The Emperor 
ilbert, son and successor of Eodolph, indig- 
lant at the spirit of freedom they occasionally 
nanifested, determined to force them to sub- 
jection. 

2. Gesler, one of his officers, had erected a 
3ole in the market-square, on which he placed 
lis hat, commanding the passers-by to pay it 
nomage. William Tell refused. He was sen- 
:enced to death, but his sentence was changed 
nto a command to shoot an apple from the 
:iead of his son; and if he failed, both he and 
[lis son were to be executed. Tell hit the ap- 
ple, but an arrow having been discovered in 
bis'possession, which he confessed was intend-ed 
for Gesler's heart in case of failure, he was 
imprisoned. Placed on board a boat to be 
conveyed across Lake Lucerne, a storm arose, 
and tell was unbound, that his skill might 
save the vessel. He guided her course to the 
shore, where, leaping upon a rock, he killed 

Questions. — 1. To what country were the Swiss sub- 
ject? 2. Eelate the story of William Tell. 

381 



882 GREECE. 

Gesler with an arrow, and then escaped to his 
friends, already arming in defence of their en- 
dangered liberties. It is due to truth, how- 
ever, to say that recent researches cast great 
doubt uj)on the whole legend of " William 
Tell." 

3. At the battle of Morgarten, the brave 
mountaineers, with 1,300 infantry, defeated the 
Emperor Leopold and 21,000 cavalry. This 
battle was fought A.D. 1315, and the independ- 
ence of Switzerland, thus gloriously achieved, 
still flourishes, after the lapse of over five 
hundred years, in undiminished vigor, firm 
and immovable as her own native Alps. 



GEEECE (MODERN.) 



CHAPTEK LXI. 

1. In 1820, after enduring for four hundred 
years the weight of Turkish despotism, the 
Greeks, animated by a desire for liberty, openly 
revolted. After the war had continued several 
years, Great Britain, France, and Russia inter- 
posed in their behalf in 1827. The Turks re- 
jected the proffered mediation, and Ibrabam 
Pacha, with a Turkish-Egyptian fleet, entered 
the bay of Navarino. While lying there in 



Questions, — 3. Describe the battle of Morgarten? 
How long have the Swiss maintained their independence ? 
— 1. In what year did the Greeks revolt? Who inter- 
posed in their favor ? 



THE MIDDLE AGES. 883 



order of battle, the combined British, French, 
and Russian fleets approached, and a deadly 
conflict ensued, the entire Turkish fleet being 
either burned, sunk, or disabled. This event 
secured the independence of Greece. The 
Greeks, true to their history, had chosen a 
republican form of government, but the com- 
bined powers having decided that the govern- 
ment must be monarchical, conferred the 
crown upon Otho, son of Louis, King of Ba- 
varia, 1832. Otho abdicated in 1862, and was 
succeeded the following year by a Danish 
prince, whose title is George I. 



THE MIDDLE AGES. 



CHAPTEE LXII. 

1. The period from the close of the fifth 
century to the beginning of the fourteenth, is 
generally known by the name of the Middle 
Ages. Some writers, however, only enumer- 
ate the ninth, tenth, and eleventh centuries as 
the Middle Ages. During the greater part of 
this period, the different nations of Europe were 
either engaged in foreign wars, or distracted 
by domestic feuds. 

Questions. — 1- Describe the battle of Navarino. 
What form of government was adopted? — !. What 
period is called the Middle Ages? How were the nations 
of Europe then engaged ? 



884 THE MIDDLE AGES. 

2. This state of things interfered with the 
cultivation of the arts, which flourish best 
while peace prevails ; but it is doing an injus- 
tice to the Middle Ages to speak of them as 
dark. An accurate knowledge of the state of 
religion and learning in those times, and an ' 
attentive study of the arts and usages which 
prevailed, where war was not the constant! 
occupation of the people, will convince the 
student of history that, as a general title, the 
term " Dark Ages " is misplaced. The writers 
who employ this term, generally do so in the 
interest of a religious party. 

3. Before the invention of the art of print- 
ing, all books were transcribed, or written 
with a pen. The labor of transcribing a book 
was great, and the process slow; hence the 
number of books was very limited. This cir- 
cumstance tended in a great degree to retard 
the progress of general knowledge ; but at the 
same time the most strenuous efforts were 
made by the clergy to keep alive the sacred 
flame of science, and to diffuse instruction 
among the people. In the council of Toul, 
held in the year 859, the bishops and princes 
of Europe were earnestly recommended to es- 
tablish public schools, for the purpose of teach- 
ing sacred science and polite literature. 



Questions. — 2. What was the effect of this state of 
things ? What title is wrongly bestowed on these ages ? 
What should convince us that this title is misplaced ? 
Why is this title sometimes employed? 3. Before the 
art of printing, what is said of books? What did the 
clergy do ? What was done in the council of Toul ? 



THE MIDDLE AGES 385 

5 4. The monasteries and abbeys, during the 
iMiddle Ages, were the asylums of learnifig. 
•Here, sechided from the splendor of the court 
•and the turmoil of the camp, the zealous 
monks and virtuous nuns taught, without dis- 
[tinction,the children of both rich and poor. The 
(branches of learning taught in those days were 
jof the more useful and solid kind. Of the^e, 
seven were termed the liberal arts; namely, 
grammar, logic, rhetoric, arithmetic, geometry, 
^astronomy, and music. Besides these, Hebrew, 
Greek, Latin, and Philosophy were carefully 
studied. 

. 5. Monastic Institutions. — The monaste- 
ries and abbeys were religious institutions, de- 
; signed for the reception of those who desired 

• to retire from the world, and to pass their 
.days in prayer, and in other good works. 
1 Those who inhabited the monasteries of men 
; were called monks ; the occupants of the like 
i( female institutions, nuns. These institutions 
iwere governed by strict rules. The inmates 
i had their various duties assigned them. While 
1, some were employed in transcribing books, 

others were engaged in teaching in the acad- 
emies attached to their institutions; others 
were occupied in manual labor, in attending 
the duties of the farm, or the garden, or other 
domestic affairs; they had at the same time 
certain hours set apart for devotional exer- 

' Questions —4. What is said of the monasteries? 

• What did the monks and nuns do? What were the 
' branches taught, &c. ? 5. What were the monasteries ? 

Who were the monks? The nuns? What is said of these 
institutions ? How were the inmates employed .' 



386 THE MIDDLE AGES. j 

i 
cises. Besides, those orders which employed! 
tli^ir members in imparting instruction in 
learning and religion, and in composing and 
copying books, there were others devoted to 
the care of the sick, the redemption of cap- 
tives, the hospitable reception of pilgrims, the 
reformation of vicious persons, &c. 

6. Mahometanism. — Mahomet, the founder 
of Mahometanism, was a native of Arabia, and 
was born at Mecca, in the year 570. He pre-l 
tended that he had received a divine commis-j 
sion to restore the Jewish and the Christian! 
religions, which he maintained had fallen from i: 
their primitive purity. Being subject to cer-i 
tain fits, he attributed them to the visits of I 
the Archangel Gabriel, by whom he pretended i 
he was taught, but whose presence he could' 
not bear without convulsions. 

7. The two leading principles of his religion 
were, that "there is but one G-od, and that 
Mahomet is his prophet." The Koran, the 
book which contains his doctrine, was com- 
piled chiefly by a Nestorian monk, as Ma- 
homet himself could neither read nor write. 
He propagated his religion by the sword, and 
stimulated the courage of his followers by the 
promise of a martyr's crown in paradise to 
every one who should fall in battle. He even 
taught, " that to fight for the faith was an act 
of obedience to God.'^ 



Questions.— 5. To what objects did some orders de- 
vote themselves ? 6. Who was Mahomet ? What did he 
pretend? To what did he ascribe the fits to which he 
was subject? 7. What were the leading principles of 
his religion? By whom was the Koran compiled ? How 
did he propagate his religion? What did he teach ? 



THE MIDDLE AGES. 387 

' 8. A popular tumult being raised against 
Wm in his native city, Mecca, he fled to Me- 
dina. His flight on that occasion is called the 
'Eegira, and forms the Mahometan era, which 
3orresponds with the year 622 of our era. 
Mahomet died at Medina, in the sixty-third 
yesiY of his age, A. D. 632. His tomb, around 
which three hundred lamps are kept constantly 
burning, remains there to the present time. 
The Mahometan religion is sometimes called 
the religion of Islam. Mahometans are also 
Called Mussulmen. They were generally called 
in former days Saracens. 

' 9. Feudal System. — This system regulated, 
during the Middle Ages, the relations of persons 
with other persons, and of persons with pro- 
perty, in the following manner : those who held 
and occupied lands were bound to render for the 
^sarae, certain service, generally of a military 
'character, towards their suzerains or superi- 
^ors. The latter, in return, whether kings, pre- 
lates, nobles, or other chieftains, were bound 
to afford protection to those who were thus 
constituted their vassals. Vassals often held 
bther vassals subject to themselves, and be- 
neath all was the serf, or "villain," attached to 
tthe soil, and bound to cultivate it, or contribute 
other manual labor. These serfs were often 
'the only laborers, while their superiors were 
engaged in warfare, or possibly in expeditions 
of "pillage, employing the stronghold of the 

Questions. — 8. What is his flight called, &c.? Where 
slid he die ? What is said of his tomb ? 9. Explain the 
character of the feudal system ? What is said of chief- 
tains ? Of vassals ? Who were the serfs ? 



388 THE MIDDLE AGES. 

! 

chieftain as a rendezvous. Humble labor was' 
not held in respect by these chieftains, whose j 
ideas have, no doubt, made an impression on 
society which is not yet effaced. The exist- 
ence of Feudalism was unfavorable to the pro-! 
gress of society. The changes introduced into 
Europe by the crusades caused it gradually tO| 
disax:)pear, although it had assisted the crusades 
at first by affording numerous followers toj 
those who engaged in them. ! 

10. Chivalry, or knighthood, was a military I 
institution which prevailed in Europe during! 
the Middle Ages. Its earlj^ history is involved i 
in obscurity; but it took its rise from a noble j 
design of protecting the weak and defenceless,! 
especially widows, maids, and orphans. An! 
apprenticeship in military and athletic exer-i 
cises was begun in early life by him who as-| 
pired to become a knight, and he advanced to| 
this honor only by regular degrees, which! 
were conferred with impressive religious cere- 
monies. The true knight was chaste, brave,; 
generous, and courteous, and held woman ini 
high respect and deference. Knighthood gave i 
rise to several military orders, some of which! 
exist nominally to the present day. The most I 
distinguished of these warrior-monks were | 
the Knights Hospitallers, afterwards known ! 
as the Knights of Malta, and the Knights 

Questions. — 9. What is said of humble labor ? What 
was the eflfect of Feudalism? How did it disappear? 
10. What was chivalry? What is said of its early his- j 
tory ? What course was followed by the candidate for I 
knighthood? What was the character of the true! 
knight ? What is said of military orders ? J 



THE CRUSADES. 889 

Templars. The principal object of these or- 
ders was to protect and defend the Christians 
'of the Holy Land against the attacks and the 
insults of the infidels. 



THE CHUSADES. 



CHAPTEE LXIII. 

'' 1. The Crusades were military expeditions, 
'undertaken by the Christians of Europe for 
the purpose of delivering the Holy Land from 
the dominion of the Turks. As early as the 
year 637, the city of Jerusalem fell into the 
'hands of the Saracens, but the Christians were 
permitted, for political reasons, to visit the 
'holy places. In 1076, the city was taken by 
the Seljuk Turks; from this time, the Chris- 
tian inhabitants were exposed to every species 
' of insult. The Christians of Europe, actuated 
^by motives of religion, were accustomed to 
^ visit the places hallowed by the footsteps, and 
^ sanctified by the sufferings of the Saviour of 
' man. But after reaching the Holy City, they 
' were exposed, like the other Christian inhab- 
' itants, to all the rigors of Mahometan cruelty. 
2. Such was the condition of Palestine when 
' Peter the Hermit, a native of Amiens, in 



Questions.— 10. What was their object? — !. What 
w^re the Crusades ? In 637, what took place ? And in 
1076 ? What is said of the Christians of Europe ? 

3a* 



390 THE CRUSADES. 

France, undertook a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. 
Peter was greatly moved by the sufferings of 
the Christians in Asia, and prevailed upon 
Simon, the venerable Patriarch of Jerusalem, 
to write to the Pope and to the princes of 
Europe, for the purpose of soliciting their 
aid in arresting the tyranny exercised against 
the Christians of the East. Peter im^medi- 
ately returned to Europe, and presented him- 
self before Pope Urban the Second. He was 
kindly received by the Pontiff, who readily 
entered into his views, and commissioned him 
to go forth and preach in favor of the suffer- 
ing Christians of Palestine, and the deliverance 
of Jerusalem from the hands of the infidels. 

3. Peter went forth, and travelled through 
Italy, France, and other countries, and by his 
eloquence, induced thousands to engage in the 
sacred expedition. The subject was finally 
brought before a council, held at Clermont, in 
France, towards the close of the year 1095. 
The Pope himself addressed the assembled 
bishops and princes, and at the conclusion of 
his discourse, the whole assembly exclaimed: 

" God wills it!" As a mark of their engage- I 
ment, it was proposed that a cross of some 
red material should be worn upon the right 
shoulder, and from this circumstance, these 
wars received the name of Crusades. 

4. Many of the most distinguished princes 
of that time engaged in the first Crusade; 

Questions.— 2. What did Peter the Hermit do ? How 
was he received, &c. ? 3. Where did he travel ? Where 
was the subject brought ? What did the Pope do ? From 
what is the word Crusade derived ? 



THE CRUSADES. B91 

among them, Kaymond, count of Toulouse; 
Robert, brother of the king of England ; iiugti 
the Great, brother of the king of France and 
Godfrej^ of Bouillon, duke of Lorraine. After ~ 
many difficulties, they took the city of Jeru- 
'salem, and established there a Christian king- 
idom, of which Godfrey was chosen the first 
■kincr The difficulties that surrounded the 
■new kingdom of Jerusalem, soon obliged the 
^Christians of Palestine to apply for aid to 
their brethren in Europe. This called forth a 
isecond Crusade. But before any effectual as- 
sistance could be rendered, Jerusalem again fell 
jiinto the hands of the Turks. , . . 

' 5 Seven other Crusades, the last being m 
126*8, were undertaken to gain possession ot 
the Holy City, but it was never effectually re- 
covered ; and it remains to the present day 
under the dominion of the infidels In early 
two millions of Europeans are said to have 
i. lost their lives in the East during these wars. 
|l Thouo-h they failed to accomplish their primary 
r obiect"; the Crusades were, in many re^spec s, 
beneficial to the people of Europe. By the 
• frequent voyages of the crusaders to Palestine 
the art of navigation and ship-bmldmg were 
rapidly improved, and commerce was pro- 
moted ; hence, from this period may be dated 
the great commercial prosperity of many ot 
the nations of Europe. The learning and the 

OuESTioNS -4. Who were some of the princes of 
Europe at that time? What did they do? Who was 
chosen kfng? What followed? 5. What were under- 
taken^ What was the number of the Crusades? What 
lexe somrof the special benefits that followed from the 
Crusades ? And in general ? 



392 PROGRESS OF CIVILIZATION. 

arts of the East were also introduced to the 
knowledge of Europe. Indeed, the benefits 
that followed from the Crusades more than 
compensated for the material losses and dis- 
advantages suffered while they were in pro- 
gress. 



PHOGRESS OF CIVILIZATION, 



CHAPTER LXiy. j 

1. We have seen in the history of modern ! 
nations, that in their origin they were no more j 
than savage tribes, led by some warlike chief. \ 
The people were divided into two classes : the I 
warriors, or free men, whose business it was \ 
to fight and govern ; and the laborers, or I 
slaves, who tilled the land. Christianity, by | 
its teachings, softened the rude chiefs, and ele- ! 
vated the degraded serfs, whilst commerce, by ; 
bringing together the various nations, created j 
a middle class, and society was organized. i 

2. During the Middle Ages, study was con- \ 
sidered as beneath the attention of those who | 
followed the profession of arms. The monks, j 
alone, devoted themselves to science, and to 
the education of youth, who, after being duly 
instructed, were known as clerks or scribes; 
these did all the writing and reading for their 

Questions. — 1. Tell us something of modern nations 
in their origin. Into what classes were the people 
divided? How was society formed ? 2. What was the 
condition of learning before the Middle Ages ? 



PROGRESS OF CIVILIZATION. 393 

■lords and patrons. The earliest and most im- 

^portant inventions and discoveries, came to 

Hightin the monasteries —the peaceful abode 

of the early votaries of science. 

• 3 In the ninth century, knowledge became 

more generally diffused, under the enlightened 

rulers who held sway over the principal coun- 

tines of Europe, and it has steadily extended, 

until, in our days, it has taken precedence of 

birth and wealth. 

4 Under the first kings of France and Eng- 
land the homes of the wealthiest lords were 
far less comfortable than the log-cabins of our 
poorest backwoodsmen. Chimneys were iin- 
' known ; the fire was built on a large, flat 
'stone in the middle of the room, and the 
smoke ascended through a hole in the roof. 
A few rudely-shaped vessels of coarse earthen- 
' ware were the only household utensils used; 
'the dagger served as a carving-knife, and 
' spoons and forks were not known. _ 

■ 5 Window-glass w^as first used m the 
; churches towards the middle of the fourth 
' century ; bells were made durmg the sixth, 

and organs introduced during .the seventh 

■ century. About the same time, the first can- 
*' dies were made for common use. 

6 Wise laws were gradually introduced, but 
'' the' population in many places being lately re- 
I claimed from barbarism, and not well regulated 
I in their faith, were accustomed to invoke what 

Questions. -3. What change took place in the ninth 
i cen^turyT 4. Describe the homes of the wealthy in 

those tTmes. 5. What discovery was made m the four^^^ 
i century? In the sixth? In the seventh? 6. Tell us 

about the laws. 



394 PROGEESS OF CIVILIZATION. 

was called the " Judgment of God " in trials 
where the evidence was not sufficiently clear 
to convict or acquit the accused person. In 
their strong, but as yet unenlightened faith, 
they believed that God would show the guilt 
or innocence of the accused by the result of 
a duel with the accuser, or by submitting to 
dangerous tests, such as walking blindfolded 
over a spot where red-hot iron plates were 
laid, &c. If he escaped injury in these ordeals, 
his innocence was established. The legal duel 
was not abolished in England until 1817. 

7. Famil}^ crests and coats-of-arms originated 
during the Crusades, and became hereditary. 
Previous to that time, the knights chose fan- 
ciful emblems and mottoes, which they changed 
at will. 

8. In 989, a monk named Gerbert, who was 
subsequently Pope, under the name of Sylves- 
ter II., invented the pendulum clock. 

About the same time, the Italian, Guy or 
Guido, of Arezzo, invented the system of di- 
viding music into a scale called the gamut; thus 
enabling one to learn in a short time what was 
formerly the study of years. 

The nautical compass came into use in the 
beginning of the thirteenth century. 

9. During the fourteenth century, the two 
most important inventions were those of spec-' 
tacles, and of paper made from rags. Pre- 
viously, papyrus and parchment were used. 

Questions. — 6. State what was meant by the judg- 
ment of God in trials. 7. What originated during the 
Crusades? 8. Who invented the clock? The division 
of music ? What was invented in the thirteenth cen- 
tury? 9. In the fourteenth? 



PEOGRESS OF CIVILIZATIOIT. 895 

Eut the following century was to bring a 

' discovery of still greater importance. The art 

of engraving letters on blocks of wood or 

' ivory had been long known, when, in 1440, the 

German Grutenberg invented the art of printing 

by means of metallic types. 

The art of oil-painting was discovered about 
1410. 

10. Gunpowder, discovered during the 13th 
century, was not used in war until the 14th. 
Cannon were first made, then firelocks, and 

I finally pistols. This invention gave the death- 
li blow to chivalry. The knights, who relied on 
their personal courage and vigor, were now 
at the mercy of the weakest coward who 
could speed a bullet in perfect safety from a 
distance of a hundred yards. The institution 
of chivalry disappeared rapidly, whilst the 
profession of arms became more general. 

11. The discovery of America, in 1492, gave 
a new impulse to commerce and navigation. 
The New World was, at first, a field for the ad- 
venturous, the ambitious, and the avaricious; it 
soon became a place of refuge for the perse- 
cuted of the Old World. 

America gave to Europe the potato, tobacco, 
and cane-sugar; and soon after, cofPee was in- 
troduced from Arabia. 

12 The seventeenth century is remarkable tor 
the development of the arts and sciences, and 
I the extraordinary impulse given to literature. 
Improvements in military discipline and tac- 
tics, and uniformity in the dress and equip- 

QuESTmNS. - loTwhal^ib^^unpowder ? H- What 
eyent of importance took place in 1492 ? 12. For what is 
the seventeenth century remarkable ? 



896 PROGRESS OF CIVILIZATION'. 



ment of the troops, were introduced during 
the seventeenth century, 

13. Among the important discoveries and 
inventions made during the eighteenth cen- 
tury, we must mention the developments con- 
nected with electricity; the chronometer, so 
useful to navigators; inoculation and vaccina- 
tion ; and the invention of balloons, which seem 
destined to reach a perfection that will enable 
man to traverse air as he does earth and sea. j 

14. The present century has brought thei 
most valuable discoveries and inventions of; 
preceding ages to a wonderful degree of per- 1 
feetion ; it has given us, besides, railroads, i 
steamers, and the magnetic telegraph, the i 
latter now traversing oceans from continent to | 
continent, and continents from sea to sea. \ 
Iron-clad steamers and improved fire-arms ; 
have sim])lified warfare both on sea and on \ 
land. Photograph}^ and other processes of i 
painting by light have placed works of art | 
within reach of all. The steam printing-press j 
has aided greatly in the spread of literature.! 
The construction of a railroad across the con- 
tinent of North America, and the opening of I 
a ship-canal through the Isthmus of Suez, are | 
about to revolutionize the course of trade. j 

These events mark the gradual material pro- 1 
gress of civilized society. While war and vio- j 
lence have desolated countries and divided na- 1 
tions, the peaceful pursuit of science and art 
has conferred immense benefits upon mankind, j 
and supplied a common ground of interest to j 
the whole human family. 

Questions. — 13. The eighteenth? 14. The present 
century ? 



Standard School Books. 



^Predet's Ancient and Modern Histories. 

\few Revised and Enlarged Editions, Continued up to 18G7. 
■±nclent Mlstory ; fr<- « the dispersion of the Sons 
■[ of Noe, to the Battle of Actium, and the change of 
the Roman Republic into an Empire. By Peter 
, Fredet, D.D., (Professor of History in St. Mary's 
J College, Baltimore. 20th edition, carefully revised 

9 and enlarged 12o. half arabesque, 1 50 

Modern History ; from the coming of Christ, a7id 
9 the change of the Roman Rejmhlic into an Empire, to 
\ the Year of our Lord, 1867. By Peter Fredet, 
\ D. D., Professor of History in St. Mary's College, 
Baltimore. 24th revised, enlarged and improved 

5 edition l2o.*half arabesque, 150 

[ Introduced into many of tUe principal Literary Institutions of 
he United States, adopted as Text Books in the Irish University, 
)ublin, and many Institutions in EngUiud and tlie Provlticcs, 
^'j'redet's Histories have acquired a widc-ivpred reputation, and 
their excellence is too well established, at this day, to be dwelt 
iipon. The publishers have the pleasure of announcing that in 
jrder to make the Modern History more complete and deserving 
)f the liberal patronage hitherto extended to it, they have, with 
8;he valuable assistance of the late Dr. Fredefs reverend cullabo- 
-ators, added several Chapters embracing the Historical Events 
';hat have taken place in this and other countries from 1854 to 1867. 

■ The Modern History has been thoroughly revised and con- 
siderably enlarged. The additional matter, careiully prepared, 
Jivill bo found worthy of the distinguished Historian-s original 
Vork The history of the Recent Civil War in the United States, 
particularly, has been compiled with a truthful impartiality, 
Vhich makes it the best Synopsis of this Memorable Event yet 
•published for the use of Educational Institutions. It is a correct 
record of facts, faithfully told without political comment. 

■ The student will therefore find in Dr. Fredet's two books, the 
'« An-icnt" and "Modern" Histories, the most Complete, Authen- 
,tic, and reliable History of the World, from its Creation to the 
(Year of our Lord, 1867. 

;, Murphy & Co. Publishers ^- Booksellers, Baltimore. 



Standard School Books. 
Fredet's Ancient £ 3Iodern Histories, 

4eS=" From a large number of Commendatory Notices, we select tl 
following, as embodying the spirit of all. 

College of William and Maet, Williamsburg, Va. 
Messrs. J. Murphy & Co., - October 1867. 

^Gentlemen: — The demand for Fredet's Ancient and Moderi 
Histories and Kerney's Compendium of History, sliows that thesi 
most excellent books are appreciated as they "ought to be TLl 
hnprovements and additions to the editions of 1867 jnst issuej 
from your i)res.s, make them all that could be reasonably desirec 
Immediately after the reopening of the College of William am 
Mary in 18(5o, Fredefs Histories were, alter a careful examinatioi 
ot the Text Books of the day, adopted in the Institution. A mor 
intimate acquaintance soon justified the wisdom of the solectiou 
They evidently were written in a conscientious and Christiai 
spirit, with a manifest intent to teach historical truths. The' 
constitute an honorable monument to the memory of the latl 
Reverend Author. 

Kerney's Compendium was subsequently introduced into thi 
College Grammar School, and gave entire satislaction. In styl 
aijd system and the interest it excites, it is admirably adapted to 
beginners and junior students, while it may be read and consulted 
with profit by the more advanced. Trusting that your pubiifl 
spirit and enterprise in putting such standard works within reacM 
may meet with a liberal encouragement, I remain ' 

Yours, Very Respectfully, Benj. S. Eayell, PmtdeM^, 

College William and Mary] 

The Metropolitan says: — "The style is veritably charmin"- bvitJ 
Bimphcity, and by the quiet love of his subject which the re'Verenq 
author displays. It is the language of a talented and successfu 
teacher, who relates to his class the great events of time succinctH 
but graphically, without bombast, yet in a lively and picturesqu^ 
manner. It is thus that history should be written for youth." 1 

The Lo7idon Standard says : "These two excellent manuals o 
History have a wide and increasing circulation in America am 
are everywhere held in the highest esteem. The compiler Br] 
Fredct, has achieved a task of no ordinary difficulty, in compresbi 
mg so much recondite matter into so small a spaces in leavind 
untold nothing that was of note of the immense and varied aunall 
of the world. No college, school, or library ought to be without 
these excellent works." 1 

The Dublin Telegraph says: "Fredet's Histories have beenj 
adopted, as a class-book, by the Irish University ; and Ave ontertaial 
no doubt, that they will soon supersede, even in other establish-l 
ments, those miserable compilations which wilful perverters of I 
truth have long palmed upon the public as histories and abridff- 
ments of histories." ° 

Murphy & Co. Publishers ^^ Booksellers, Baltimore. 
2 



Kerney^s Compendium 

Of Ancient and Modern History. 

Teio Revised and Enlarged Edition, Continued up to 1867, 

1 Compendliun of Ancient and 3Iodem 
History f from the Creation to the year 1867, 

, with Questions, adapted to the use of Schools and 

< Academies; also an Appendix, containing the 
Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of 

! the United States, a Biographical Sketch of Emi- 
nent Personages, with a Chronological Table of 

' Remarkable Events, Discoveries, Improvements, 
etc. By M. J. KerneY, A. M. 32d revised edi- 

; tion 12o. half arabesque, 1 25 

i In presenting a Revised and Enlarged Edition of this Popular 
[istory to the public, the publishers deem it unnecessary to dwell 
,pon its merits. Extensively introduced into the Schools of thia 
:,ountry and in many Institutions of Learning in England and 
i-eland, and even in the East Inches, it has met everywhere with 
le greatest tavor, and twenty-nine editions rapidly exhausted are 
vidence of the liberal patronage extended to this sterling work. 
The Compendium has been brought down to the Present Time, 
nd this Edition comprises all the Important Events that have 
ranspired in Europe since the Crimean War, including the Kccent 
Tar between Austria and Prussia; the History of the Ephemeral 
'!mpire of Mexico; and a Graphic Sketch of the American Civil 
'7ar, ivritten without partiality or bins. The data for this Last and 
mportant Chapter have been carefully compiled from the most 
luthentic sources, and form the best Narrative of the Frincipal 
h^entz of the War, that can be put into the hands of the youny. 
, These additions have been carefully prepared, and written in 
jonformity with the spirit of impartiality which has made Mr. 
i([erney's books so popular. 
■i 

! • RECOMMENDATIONS. 

' Kerney's Compendium has been introduced into the College 
Irammar School, and gives entire satisfaction. In style and sys- 
sm, and the interest it excites, it is admirably adapted to begin- 
icrs and junior students, while it may be read and consulted with 
iroflt by the more advanced. Benj. S. Ewell, President, 

] College Williavi and Mary. 

ViLUAMSBURG, Va., October, 1867. 

I Murphy & Co. Publishers ^ Booksellers, Baltimore. 
3 



Kenieifs Compendium of History. 

Recommendations. Continued. \ 

The Compendium of History, hj M. J. Kerney, has been in my I 

possession several months, and, after a careful reading, I believe it I 

to be a very useful book in the dei^artment of study to which it ' 

belongs. I take pleasure in recommending it to teachers. 

J. N. .M'JiLTON, Chairman Central High School of Bait. \ 
I have carefully examined " Kerneij's Compendium of History," : 
and '■'■ Kerney'' s Abridgment of Murray'' s English Grammar." l\ 
have the pleasure to inform you that they have both been iuti-o-i 
duced into the Puldic Schools in our city. I take great pleasure i 
in recommending them to the attention of Teachers. I 

J. F. Callan, Trustee Public School 2d, Washington, D. G. i 

EXTRACTS FROM NOTICES OF THE PRESS. '\ 

"Weliave looked through it with some attention, and must con- 
fess that we have been favorably impressed with its merits. In j 
the History, more especially, Vvhere it is impossible to avoid tho 
relation of facts touching various religious creeds, tho cominU^r i 
seems to liave scrupulously refrained from any remark that C' 
arouse sectarian prejudice — a fault in w'hich too many of th 
who liave given their laboi-s to the compilation of school histt ; 
have been prone to indulge." National Intelligencer. 

"This very useful work fully meets the wants it was intcutlci' 
to supply; we therefore shall not only adopt it in the scliouls 
under our own care, but recommend it as miich as we can t'l 
others." Pittsburg Catholic. 

"Its style is didixctic and terse, and while agreeable to tluM 
cultivated intellect, is adapted to the humblest comprehension/ 
There is one characteristic of the work which pleases us above ali i 
others, and that is the studied care with which the author avoid,-; 
all allusions and comments that might be in the slightest degree 
wounding to the religious sensibilities of members of any creed. 
This is a great desideratum in books designed for schools, as tho 
evil of seclarianism, so manifest in most of our elementary cki 
books, has been long and loudly complained of." — U. S. C. Mag. 

"■ As an elementary treatise, this work will, we should suppose 
be, and deservedly so, a favorite in our schools. The appendix of 
biographical notices of prominent individuals is an original and 
desirable addition to the book." Lutheran Observer. 

"It is a work containing much useful information, and, as a 
Bchool-book, and for general historical reference, it will be found 
invaluable." Baltimore American. 

MuKPHY & Co. Publishers ^ Booksellers, Baltimore. 
4 



standard School Books. 

School Edition of Lingard's England. 

Ahridgmeut of the History of England, 

By John Ling ard, D. D. With a Continuation from 
1688 to the Reign of Queen Victoria. By James . 
BuKKE, Esq. To which are added, Marginal 
Notes and Questions, adapted to the use of Schools, 
by M. J. Kerney, A. M. 9th ed. 700 pages, 12o. 
half arab.,^... 1 ^^ 

The student will find that the ipsissima verba of the 
great Historian of England has been religiously pre- 
served in the Abridgment. 
Of the Continuation we shall merely say, that it has 

been written by an author who has been long and 

favorably known in literature. 

NOTICES OF THE PRESS. 

The Metropolitan, in noticing this work, says: -"We are glad to 
RPP this excellent abridgment adapted to the use of schools. It 

Va^ ^^irh to remo^°e those many false impresSiOns, which 
En lisli Soriai?s raTwtherto n.ade'iipon the readers of histoiT 

able consideration of the iustructors ot youth. 

the attention of «"^- J'^^^Sv Jd^yncS ^ of the 

-tS^ar^^lSS^r^S^^^^^^ 

, -Sar ^-^onSn^^i^^^^^ 
?vith English HistoiT who ^\^^ -«J ^-^-^^f eonvenient'form and 

country," 

fur whoso use it was designed. 
MUEPHY & Co. Fublishers ^ Booksellers, Baltimore. 
5 



Standard School Booh. I 

! 

ITpwards of 50,000 Coiiies, of the Old Edition,! 

liave been sold. j 

The First Class Book of History, designed; 

for pupils commencing the Study of History ; with^ 

Questions, adapted to the use of Academies and! 

Schools. By M. J. Kerne y, A. M. 23d Revised^ 

and Enlarged Edition qq\ 

From the Preface to the Tioenty-Second Enlarged and Hevisedl 
Edition -J^ighteen years of uninterrupted success have estab- 
ashed iho superior excellence of Kerney's First Class Book of ! 
History Teachers Iiaving frequently expressed regret that the i 
author had confined himself to Modern Times, instead of embrac- ' 
ing in his plan the outlines of Ancient History, as he has done so i 
Buccossfully in his larger work, the "Compendium of Ancient and i 
Modern History," the Publishers have sought, in the present edi- ! 
tion, to bring this valuable little book to a state of completion i 
which would leave nothing to desire. They have confided thia ! 
task to a gentleman of experience, who has added to Mr. Kerney'a i 
work a short but complete Synopsis of Sacred and Ancient His- I 
tory together with an interesting chapter on the Progress of ! 
Civilization. The Book might now be aptly styled " The Firet i 
Class Book in Universal History." 

hin ai^-^ition to this entirely new matter, the Modern History haa i 
b. ..f ^"'^"^ ^7 l^' mtroduction of several chapters, embrJcing I 
the most important and recent events that have transpired in thS i 
omlizcd countries of the world, including the late Amerkan cfvil | 

♦1.5!° ^r'"^^ ^^"^^ ,^°^P ^P^^'®<^ "'^ *'^® revision and preparation of i 

this Edition, with the hope of rendering it wonhv in eveiv ' 

respect, of the high commendation and liberal patronage enjoyed i 

by iMr. Kerney's Popular Class Books. *' ""^ j 

EXTBACTS EEOM NOTICES, &c. 
Messrs. J. Murphy & Co. Baltimore, May 28, 1868. 

Fir^/ri'r^n::?^^ ^V,^ carefully examined your new edition of the 
JFirst Class Book ot History, and I beg to express to you the satis- 
faction I haw felt in its perusal. It is admirably adapted to tho 
ffiff i^^f %*'-'-^r^'' "\^ '-^"-augement being such tSat it ia 
hv f i S *° ^'f '","'" youthful mind impressions rendered vivid 
by the easy natural and int.^resting style of the narrative, 
bonk ^n^^rn?/"" evideucc of my appreciation of the merits of this 
mv m^^f^^^ T *°4T^"^'« y'^" of my determination to adopt it in 
. my o^^ n 8chool. Very respectfully, HexTRy Onderdonk. 

Murphy & Co. Publishers ^ Booksellers, Baltimore 
7 



First Class Boole of History. 

J, Notices of the Press. Continued. 

" We have examined this worli attentively, and take great plea« 
. re in commending it to general favor. The historic facts are 
"^t forth in the most concise manner, calculated at once to impress 
iemselves upon the young mind, imparting solid information. 
[)ist enough, and not too much is placed before the juvenile 
fUdent, to create a zest for further knowledge after laying this 

story aside. It is upon the inductive system, and wholly free 
^om sectarian or political bias. A more suitable work could not, 
{)i our judgment, be placed in the hands of pupils, or prove more 
tfceptable to schools." Ilaryland Eepuhlican. 

^" We hope to sec this little Eock introduced into general use in 
^e Public Schools of our country." Port Tobacco Times. 

" We have given it a full examination, and feel satisfied that its 
l^reful, concise, and attractive arrangement of historical facta 
.ust commend it to every practical teacher." Denton Journal. 
i"Mr. Kerncy has done his work well, and ulider the careful re- 
fsion to which it h<is been subjected, this 'First Class Book of 
(istory' really deserves the high reputation which it has ac- 
.xired." Baltimore Gazette. 

"This little volume is a successful attempt of a Baltimore puh- 
•sher, to furnish a School History worthy of the Public Schools 
■ Maryland. The style is terse; its statements of facts are made 
ith great clearness and impartiality. We cordially commend it 
; our School Commissioners, and hope they will not overlook it 
hen they make their selection of text-books." 

Eaiton Star, 

" We have given the work some attention, and find it well writ- 
n, simple and truthful. Its accounts of history from the begin- 
ng of time to the present are rcUable. The book should and 
ill find its way in our Public Schools " 

Centreville Observer. 

"From a hasty examination, we adopt the opinion that it is ex- 
;tly adapted to the wants of our Public Schools, as well as Acade- 
ies and Seminaries generally." 

Westminster Advocate. 



MuEPHY & Co. PuUisliers ^ Booksellers, Baltimore. 



Standard School Books. 

A Catechism of Scripture History, com- 
piled by the Sisters of Mercy for the use of the I 
children attending their schools. Revised and' 
corrected by M. J. Kerney, A. M. 20th Edition. 

18mo. half cloth 75 

"This excellent work is now used in nearly all Catholic institu- 
tions throughout England and Ireland, and has also acquired aa 
extensive circulation throughout the neighboring republic. 

"The object of the Catechism, according to the preface, 'is to 
render children early acquainted with the truthful and interestiLg; 
events recorded in the sacred Scriptures ; to familiarize them witlij 
the prophecies relating to the coming of the Messiah, and lead! 
them to regard the Old Testament as a figure and a foreshadowii .,' 
of the New.' 

"The present edition has been much improved, the questions 
to the answers being made more concise, so as to admit of their 
being easily committed to memory. An appendix has also been 
added, containing extracts from the Prophets, Scripture texts, aiii! 
short sketches of the lives of the Apostles and Evangelists. Thaj 
Chronological Table, which has been carefully revised and con-j 
siderably enlarged, fixes the dates of the most remarkable eventaj 
recorded in the Sacred Writings. 

"We hope soon to see the work introduced into all Catliol c 
Schools in the British Provinces, and were its merits fully known, 
we are pretty certain it would meet with a circulation similar to, 
that which it has acquired in England and the United States." 

Halifax Catholic, \ 
"Of the merits of the book itself, it would be superfluous to! 
speak, but we may observe that the labors of the American" editor! 
have added very considerably to its value." Meiropoliian. \ 

'• It is an admirable book for schools, and calculated to give a fart 
more vivid and lasting knowledge of sacred history tlian could liflj 
obtained from years of desultory and mechanical 'Bible-reading.'' 

Detroit Vindicator. 

CatecMsm of Eccleslastwal History, j 
Abridged for the use of Schools. Translated from| 
the French by a Friend of Youth. A New Enlargei! 

Edition 16p. flex, cloth, sd 

This little work has been carefully revised and enlarged, thai 
text being brought down to the present time. These improve 
ments ii'^is hoped will render it still more popular with the iitf 
Btructors of youth. I 

Murphy & Co. Publishers ^ Booksellers, Baltimore, i 
9 11 



Standard School Books. 

Kerney's Arithmetics. 

he CoUmiMan Arithmetic, designed for the 
Qse of Academies and Scliools. By M. J. Kernet, 
A.. M. 25th Revised and Improved edition. 50 

:he aim has been, iu the compihation and arrangement of this 
rk, to make it a hook oi practical instruciion; one in which the 
3nce of figures is thoroughly explained and clearly elucidated, 
e examples for practice are generally such as the pupil will 
et in the various business transactions of life. The arrange- 
:nt is progressive, all questions being Bolved by rules previously 
plained. This new edition has been carefully revised and en- 
■ged. Several useful tables on the subject of Interest have been 
•roduced, and numerous miscellaneous examples added. These 
provements will render the work still more deserving of the 
tensive patronage it has heretofore enjoyed. 

ley to Kerneifs ColmuMcm Arithmetic, 

containing the solution of the principal ques- 

.... 40 
tions 

ntroductlon to the Columbian Arithme- 
tic, designed for the use of Academies and Schools. 
By M. XKeeney, A. M. 30th Revised Ed. 20 

This little work is designed as an introduction to the former and 
intended for children about to commence the study of Arithme- 
The first principles of the science are familiarly explamed m 
y'e form of question and answer, and the pupils are conducted m 
.e study as far as the end of compound numbers. It is replete 
1th practical examples, adapted to the capacity of that class of 
4 ne f^which it\s designed, audit also contains all the TaUes 
7v. Kerney's Arithmetics have already acquired a wule-spread 
opularity, as attested by the sale of large editions xn a few years 
'hey --e books of practical instruction, arranged ^y ^. P-^tical 
eacher of many years experience. The present editions have 
een carefully revised, and neither pains nor expense will be 
pared to render them at all times worthy the high reputation 

^^^^^^SShave^iepIea^reof^noi^^ 

practical teac^hcr and ^l^^J^f^^^^:^.,^ a Standard Reputation, aa 
JkSg «st S: Sli^t ^Si^ystematic and best books of 
this class published. 

MuEPHY & Co. Publishers ^ Booksellers, Baltimore. 
13 



Standard School Books. j 

mentof Murraifs Grammar and Exercises, designe 
for the use of Academies and Schools; with a 
Appendix, containing Rules for Writing wit 
Perspicuity and Accuracy; also a Treatise oi 
Epistolary Composition. By M.J. Kerney, A ]\i 
3a,h edition, 18o. hf. bd. ' 2i 

Extracts from Notices of the Press j 

of any important matter, and is presented to onnhi -""""'''H 

and convenient form. It must fi!uSr"ln ^Atrs "'-ia/? S 

"We most cheerfully recommend this Grammar fo Schools " ' 

s2S^^^-^— * — ntot M^aJ:tf^rini 
. -Fred. Examiner. \ 

Murray's Grammar. ! 

^irS'^ 5^^£/^«/^ G^^Y./M.iiar, adapted to| 
the difierent classes of learners ; with an Appen- 

fn^'fh? '^''''''^ ?^'' ^^^^ observations for assist-! 
mg the more advanced students to write with I 
perspicuity and accuracy. By Likbley MuurY 
T 12o. half bound, 40 

fiivor of this edition ' *^^ ^^^^ ^^^™« "^"S^d in 

Murray's English Reader 18o. 85 

Murphy & Co. Pichlishers ^ Booksellers, Baltimore. \ 
14 I 



Standard School Books. 

WettenhalVs Greek Ch^amniar, — Rudiments 
' of the Greek Language, arranged for the Students 
'' of Loyola College, Baltimore, — upon the basis of 
jj Wettenhall. 6th. ed. 12o. half arabesque, 75 

'' Extract from the Preface. — "It is not intended by this puLlica- 
■ion to present a new" Greek Grammar to the classical student; 
:fter the elaborate volumes of Matthiae, Buttman, Kuhner, Gail, 
,iurnouf, and other scholars of Germany and France ; it would be 
Itogether vain to expect any new discovery in that language. 
''he most that we can do is to avail ourselves of their labors in 
rdcr to smooth the difficulties, which are usually met in its 
tudy. The greatest of those, we have learned from a long experi- 
nce'in teaching, is the large size of the grammars, which are put 
tt the student's hands when he commences. Excellent as these 
"lay bo for' the professor or more advanced scholar, they only tend 
|o deter the beginner from approaching it. We trust that this 
tVill be obviated by the present compendium, in which we have 
' ndeavored to comprise within as short a compass as possible, all 
\ hat is of absolute necessity to the learner. If it induces him to 
pply with more ahicrity to study a language second to none in 
'he literary beauties and treasures which it contains, our inten- 
ions will have been amply fulfilled." 

i "We commend it most heartily to those Avho wish to study that 
QOst perfect of all human languages, as the shortest and readiest 
' ray to smooth all their difficulties." Meiro2ioUtan. 

\ Ruddiman's Latin Grmmnar, — Rnddi- 
mari's RudhnenU of the Latin Tongue; or, a Plain 
and Easy Introduction to Latin Grammar : wherein 
the principles of the language are methodically 
digested, both in the English and Latin. With 

■ useful Notes and Observations. 30th edition — 
corrected and improved. By William Mann, M. A. 

i 12o, half arabesque 75 

i^'- The cheapest and lest Latin Grammar published. 

Ars Mhef or lea — Anoiore, R, P., Martino du 
Cygne, Societatis Jesu. Editio Secunda Ameri- 



f. 18o. half arab '5 

1 to this New Edition, an Appendix has been added, containing 
Examples taken fvom the English Classics. 

Murphy & Co. Publishers <j- Booksellers, Baltimore. 
17 



"1 



The North American SpeUing Boole, 

Designed for Elementary Introduction in SclioolsJ 
A New Enlarged Edition, being an improvement 

upon all others. 18 cents per dozen, 1 CSj 

The aim in this compilation has been to presr^nt a gradation of 
lessons necessary to impart a knowledge of the spelling, division; 
pronunciation, and accentuation of the various sounds "and sylhu 
bles that compose the English language. In pronouncing and 
accenting words, good usage and the best lexicographers havrf 
been followed. The rules laid down are few, but simple and corn 
cise; and the progress from what is easy to what is difficult, iaj 
gentle and gradual. It is universally conceded to be one of tlie 
BEST, as it is unquestionably the cheapest Spelling Book puhli. ' 

German School Books. 

Ji^The following Books, prepared by the Superiors of 
Society of the Holy XledeemeiJ, \n Baltimore, are extensively use 
in German Schools throughout the United States. 

ABC mid BuchstaMr imd Lesehnch, 
Kafhollsclier Katech Isnius 1 8o. 

BibUsche Gescliichte des Alien mid 

Neiien Tesfaments 401 

Kleiner JlafechisnuiSf 3 cts. ; per 100, 2 cd 

4®" The following German Spkli.er and Reader have been car*! 
fully prepared by the School Sisters of Notre Dame, expressly i'^-t 
the German Schools under their charge. They may justly beconJ 
sidered the best Books of their class for the use of Gernuu 
Primary Schools. 

Fibel fur die liehen Kleinejif gebraucht ii 
den Scliulen der deutsclien Scliulschvrest( r i 
unserer Lieben Frau ] * 

Lesehdchlein fdr die liehen iLleinen, ge-| 

braucht in den Scliulen der deutschen Schul-i 
scliwestern unserer Lieben Fran 15| 

Gillespie's Progressive System, ; 

i=^EiNr:M:.A.35rsH:i:p, 

In 6 Nunihers, luith Steel Plate: Copies at the Head of each Faj _. . 

Price, per Number, 18 cents per Dozen, 1.50. 

This system is designed to lead the pupil from the first princi- 
ples in Penmanship to a free, open, practical style of writing, 
adapted to general business purposes. » 

Having purchased the Plates and Copyright of this Series of 
Copt Books, we respectfully solicit for them a careful exanii!i:i-i 
tion, which is all thatis necessary to prove the superiority, utility, 
and economy of this system. 

Murphy & Co. Publishers <j^ Boolcsellers, Baltimore. \ 
18 I 



(M ft 



1-* 






•>. .^^ ■ 






-t. 


x°' 




^^ 






V 




^^^..^ .^^ 


%■ 






"'^ . . s*' .0 


^ 




■- A o 




H . 




./ z".:;^*/"^. 


x«^ ^. ^'^' 






'-'-' < '" ■ "^ -\ 


'o..,%: 






-e^'^;,.- v^^ 


, , ^/ '^ 






'^> \' 




A 




^'p 


%- 


.^^' 




%■ ,<«' 


<^ 


"%. 




^^" V.., H 



,>'* 



y "^^j^^ s"* ,^^ " DeacJdified using the Bookkeeper process 

. ^ i ^ i, s^ ^y , , B Neutralizing agent: Magnesium Oxide 

^ Treatment Date: ^AV 2D\}'l 

"bo^ PreservationTechnologies 

• -7> A WORLD LEADER IN PAPER PRESERVATION | 

j^ <^^ 111 Thomson Park Drive i 

ol ri^^ Cranberry Township, PA 16066 I 



^ 



(724) 779-2111 



S' <p, 















.-^^^ 



■^ ^ \^' I , 



^- * ^ -^ « o^ 

5.V J 






x^^^ "-^ 









,'0' 



^0 O. 






\^ 



A^^^ 



-^^ <^'^- 



f-'-^-'^%^ 






o 0' 












^& 



V ./> 



,#^ 



-f^/. v^^ 






N - ^V 



^0- 



5^r \V 



^.<^V 



'^^>\^ 

.^^ 



^>^ 



#' 



\^ 



BRARY OF CONGRESS 




